Who's on First, What's on Second and I Dunno is on Third

DETROIT

School district expects final student tally under 100,000

BY CHASTITY PRATT DAWSEY • FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER • September 27, 2008

While denying reports that enrollment is down to 88,000 students, Detroit Public Schools officials acknowledged Thursday that it has dropped below the 100,000 mark needed to maintain first-class district status.

As a result, two community colleges and suburban districts will be able to open charter schools within the city and the number of DPS board members could change and their powers diminish. The district's ability to borrow money, contract for services, issue bonds, collect property taxes and direct its school police department also is now in question.

The Michigan School Code is unclear about when the school district will lose first-class district powers, said Jeff Williams, senior vice president of Public Sector Consultants in Lansing.

"These are serious, serious operational issues," he said "You probably need a lawyer, and whatever the lawyer says someone will take to court."

Because of the uncertainty, Superintendent Connie Calloway "does not know who's on her board, what their powers are and what their budget will be," Williams said. "It all depends on what the Legislature is going to do about it."

The Legislature could rewrite the law to keep the district's first-class powers, but discussions are unlikely before the November election.

After Wednesday's statewide enrollment count day, reports circulated that the Detroit district has 88,000 students, down from 104,000 last fall.

"The 88,000 number is wrong, I know that for a fact," said school board president Carla Scott. She said that figure did not include part-time students such as some high school, alternative education, kindergarten and preschool students. The true number is expected to be between 94,000 and 96,000, students, Scott said. A preliminary total could be available next week.

Detroit Public Schools has suffered an enrollment plunge; the student population is down from 173,878 students a decade ago. The system has a $1.1-billion budget and must cut $522 million over the next two years.

Speculation about the student total and the first-class designation occurred a week after the state announced that a review team will look through the district's finances starting next month. The team could recommend that the governor appoint a financial manager to take over the district's finances.

Gary Naeyaert, spokesman for Michigan's Charter Schools, said there are about 200 applicants awaiting approval to open charter schools, but they would probably not be ready to open any in Detroit until fall 2009.

Contact CHASTITY PRATT DAWSEY at 313-223-4537 or cpratt@freepress.com.