New school district keeps DPS in debt

Eric Campbell:

Appointed Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts and Gov. Rick Snyder announced on June 20 the formation of a statewide school district of "low performing" schools.

Critics of the new statewide school distrct, the Education Acievement System (EAS), say it unfairly targets Detroit students while continuing to drain DPS resources.

Beginning in 2012, according to the plan, DPS students from an undetermined number of schools would become part of the EAS for five years.

State school aid and federal grants would leave DPS and follow students to EAS, according to Lamar Lemmons, finance chair for the Detroit Board of Education.

The growing budget deficit, which now stands at $327 million, would remain. Lemmons says that scenario benefits the state apparatus, which has kept control over DPS finances by keeping the district in debt.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at August 2, 2011 2:49 AM
Subscribe to this site via RSS/Atom: Newsletter signup | Send us your ideas