It was a week of big reveals and big donations. A charter middle school unveiled new classrooms and science labs made possible by a $6 million renovation. An area mortgage company made a large contribution to City Year Detroit. And a local sports team’s donation helped build a new library at a Detroit district elementary school.
Unfortunately, more than money is needed to figure out how to reuse the scores of vacant schools that dot Detroit’s landscape and destabilize its neighborhoods. We wrote about the challenges of repurposing those buildings this week.
In other news, watch our own Erin Einhorn on Detroit Public TV’s American Black Journal. She talks about the three days she spent behind the scenes with Detroit schools chief Dr. Nikolai Vitti.
Finally, we are hiring! If someone you know is interested in being a reporter for Chalkbeat Detroit, contact us.
Have a great week!
— Julie Topping, Chalkbeat Detroit editor
LET’S GET IT TOGETHER: A new report says Detroit’s main district and charters must work together to ensure students get a good education. Vitti, who is openly competitive with charters, says he’s an advocate of choice but not without “guardrails.”
TOUGH JOBS TO FILL: The main Detroit district has hired more teachers, but still needs to fill almost 200 jobs. Most leave teaching because — surprise! — they are dissatisfied with the profession. Union leaders on a listening tour said teachers were concerned most about testing, pay and lack of funding for education.
RENOVATION CITY: University Prep Academy middle school cut the ribbon on nine new classrooms and six new science labs made possible by its $6 million renovation.
And the Detroit Pistons give an elementary school library in Detroit a basketball-themed makeover.
NO LOANS HERE: Quicken donated $700,000 to a group that places young adults in schools to support students.
GREEN SCHOOLS: A group of Democratic state lawmakers introduced a package of bills designed to reduce schools’ environmental impact, lower energy costs and teach kids about sustainability.
AT WORK MORE OFTEN: Charter school teachers are less likely to be chronically absent than their peers in traditional district schools.
WHO NEEDS ‘EM: Editorial says get rid of the state board of education.
OPINION: An education advocate notes, during Hispanic Heritage month, that Latino students have lost ground in recent years.
DIGITAL MOVEMENT: Michigan schools are closing the digital divide, report says.
RACIAL SHIFT: A merger flips the demographics at two Ferndale elementary schools.