Detroit Public Schools is searching for national charter operators to run 45 schools. 18 of those schools will be closed in Summer 2011 if an operator cannot be found. 27 of those schools will remain open under a turnaround plan if an operator cannot be found. Eight schools will be closed outright. Several other schools will be combined or placed in new buildings. Net building reductions are between 32 and 59.

The following savings were predicted by DPS in April 2011:

  • No costs will be incurred for closing and securing schools, an estimated savings of $22 million
  • An estimated $21.85 million in revenue will be generated from leases to charter schools
  • $7 million in non-general funds can be re-directed to other schools

In June 2011, new EFM Roy Roberts slowed the program to convert schools into charters. Nineteen operators applied, but some major national organizations did not. Roberts selected only three companies and five elementary schools:

The schools were chosen because they had average passing math and reading scores near 44.5%.


Original building replacement, closure and charter options

Construction Bond-Related Building Replacements

Month / Year Closing Buildings Replacements Building Closures Net Closure
Jan. 2011 Public Safety Hqtr. Public Safety Hqtr. 1 0
Feb. 2011 DTC East & DTC West Drew (renovation) 2 1
Sept. 2011 Gompers & Vetal Brightmoor (New) 2 1
Sept. 2011 Neinas & Webster Earhart (New) 2 1
Sept. 2011 King HS King HS (New) 1 0
Jan. 2012 Barton & Parker Mackenzie PK-8 (New) 2 1
Jan. 2012 Logan & O.W. Holmes Munger PK-8 (New) 2 1
Sept. 2012 Mumford Mumford (New) 1 0
Sept. 2012 Crockett HS & Finney HS Crockett-Finney (New) 2 1
Total 15 6

Building Closures – Summer 2011

  • Carleton
  • Day School for Deaf
  • Field, Moses
  • Hutchinson
  • Rutherford
  • Sherrill
  • Ludington (Relocate entire program intact to Hughes building)

Building Closures – Summer 2012

  • Osborn HS

Closures or Charters – Summer 2011

Proposals will be requested to operate these schools as Charters. If an acceptable proposal is not submitted for a school, then it will be closed during the Summer of 2011.

  1. Barsamian Prep
  2. Beard ELC
  3. Breithaupt CTC
  4. Carstens
  5. Detroit City HS
  6. Dossin
  7. Farwell
  8. Ferguson Academy
  9. Glazer
  10. Hally
  11. Hancock
  12. Hutchins
  13. Jemison
  14. Loving
  15. MacDowell
  16. Trix
  17. Van Zile
  18. Wayne

Turnaround Charter Options** – Fall 2011 or Later Year

These buildings will remain open under a Turnaround Plan, either under Charter or DPS operation. Turnaround Plans will be requested from private and community groups via a Request for Proposals to operate charters. In the event an acceptable charter plan is not submitted, DPS will implement a Turnaround Plan.

  1. Brewer
  2. Burns
  3. Carver
  4. Clark
  5. Davison
  6. Durfee
  7. Edmonson
  8. Gardner
  9. Hamilton
  10. Henderson
  11. Holmes, A.L.
  12. Howe
  13. Mann
  14. Marshall, T.
  15. Mason
  16. Noble
  17. Nolan
  18. Palmer Park Prep
  19. Phoenix
  20. Pulaski
  21. Robeson/Malcolm X
  22. Robinson
  23. Sampson
  24. Stewart
  25. Twain, Mark
  26. White
  27. Wilkins

Sources