About Detroit Public Schools

Detroit Public Schools is creating Centers of Excellence in every school in every neighborhood. This fall, parents will see new reforms throughout the district's 142 schools, including expanded time for reading and mathematics under a common core curriculum, pre-algebra for 7^th graders, a tutor for every pre-kindergartner through the Volunteer Reading Corps, additional language courses available, Advanced Placement courses available at every high school, more opportunities for student apprenticeships, internships, shadowing and mentorships, millions of dollars in school building improvements, and new safety and security systems in every school through a $41.7 million public safety plan.

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Construction under way

One major renovation complete and all remaining contracts out to bid under $500.5 million capital improvement program

Detroit Public Schools is making rapid progress on its $500.5 million capital improvement program, with one major school renovation complete, construction under way at nine other sites totaling $180.4 million, and all procurement contracts out to bid for remaining projects.

The school district today released a construction activity progress report on the first 10 projects, which have an average Detroit-headquartered business participation of 70 percent at the prime contract level. Three elementary and middle school interior renovations will be completed on time for students’ arrival Sept. 7.

Renovations totaling $27.7 million were completed at John R. King PreK to 8 School, Marcus Garvey PreK to 8 School and Bethune Academy in just over three months.

“We are delivering on our promises to voters and residents that we will stay on time and on budget with every project that is part of the DPS School Construction Program,” said Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. “We are also guaranteeing priority to Detroit residents first for jobs, with 70 percent of procurement contracts in the first ten projects awarded to Detroit-headquartered firms.”

DPS’ Robert Bobb joins mobile enrollment vehicle, targeting charter school parents

Robert Bobb, Detroit Public Schools’ Emergency Financial Manager, joined parents and volunteers on the district's new mobile enrollment vehicle, which is traveling to corners near charters schools that have been enrolling DPS students.

The locations included a charter school on the state’s lowest 5 percent list, which is located near three high-quality DPS schools, including Mann where 95 percent of 5^th grade students met or exceeded the MEAP reading performance levels and 91 percent of students met or exceeded mathematics performance levels; and Dixon where 97 percent of 4^th graders met or exceeded performance levels on both MEAP reading and math; and Carver, where 75 percent of 3^rd graders did so on MEAP reading and 73 percent of 4^th graders in math. Bobb also went door-to-door and greeted parents outside a competing charter school’s enrollment fair to discuss DPS alternatives with them.

“Last year we watched as charter schools recruited and suburban districts brought buses to our neighborhoods to pick up our students and transport them to schools far from their homes,” Robert Bobb, Detroit Public Schools’ Emergency Financial Manager, said. “This year, we aren't going to be as polite to those districts and schools recruiting DPS kids. We are on the offensive, and we will take our campaign straight to those corners near charters and suburban schools’ bus stops because we know DPS offers the better educational option for those children.”

The mobile vehicle, which has already logged many City of Detroit stops, is making stops throughout the city and adjacent suburbs, touting the ‘Great Things Happening’ in DPS.

Detroit Public Schools honors Volunteer Reading Corps with a picnic on Belle Isle

Hundreds of members of Detroit Public Schools’ Volunteer Reading Corps turned out on Belle Isle on Aug. 27 to celebrate the successes of the past year, mingle with others from some of the 130 municipalities who have pledged their time, and re-commit to a school for the coming year. More than 5,500 people have pledged their time to tutor.

DPS encouraged volunteers to bring a friend who was also willing to sign up to tutor and populate the pre-kindergarten classes of 2010-11 to make the upcoming year as successful as the inaugural year of the Volunteer Reading Corps. The picnic was funded by the Skillman Foundation and the Detroit Free Press and supported by the Detroit Tigers, who provided free tickets to volunteers, on a first-come, first-served basis.

“It is the district’s goal to have every third-grader reading at grade level by 2015, and DPS is excited to tout the Volunteer Reading Corps to parents as one of the reasons why they should send their children to Detroit Public Schools,” said Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. “Every preschool student will have a tutor this year.” Bobb added that volunteers will be in schools in the first month of classes.

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Parade, Rally Draw Thousands of Participants

Over 40 parade units and more than 850 marchers, including DPS marching bands, clowns and hundreds of DPS student, parent and alumni marchers took part in Detroit Public Schools’ second annual downtown Back to School Parade and Rally on Thursday, Aug. 26.

Thousands of students and parents attended a post-parade rally hosted by comedian Ricky Smiley. It several performances as well as appearances by Dr. Bill Cosby, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mayor Dave Bing, U.S. Congressman John Conyers. DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb, along with DPS Board of Education President Anthony Adams, NAACP President Rev. Wendell Anthony and many others helped to motivate students and parents for the coming school year.

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Spirit of Detroit says “I’m In, We’re In” to DPS

The Spirit of Detroit statue, which has become of a symbol of the city's spirit of rebirth, was dressed in a custom-designed “I’m In, We’re In” T-shirt on Aug. 25 as part of Detroit Public Schools' expanded enrollment campaign, which touts the new initiatives parents and students will see in DPS schools this fall.

The statue, located on Woodward Avenue near the entrance of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center downtown, will wear the T-shirt through Sept. 1 and will serve as a focal point during the district’s Back to School Parade and Rally on Thursday Aug. 26. The expanded parade steps off at Woodward Avenue, south of Grand Circus Park at 11:30 a.m. and will travel down Woodward and end at Hart Plaza, where a post-parade rally will follow at 12:30 p.m. The custom-designed T-shirt, was constructed by prop Art Studio in Detroit and took 300 square feet of fabric.

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Happy month of Ramadan!

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim Calendar. It is this month that Muslims observe the fast of Ramadan. Lasting for the entire month, Muslims fast during the day-light hours and in the evening; they feast with friends and family and donate to the less fortunate. It is a time of worship and contemplation, a time to strengthen family and community ties.

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