More than two dozen struggling Detroit schools will likely be added to the state’s “partnership” program after posting years of rock-bottom test scores.
That will bring to 50 the number of Detroit schools in the program, which requires schools to meet certain improvement targets or face consequences.
Those consequences could include closure or a staff shake-up but, for now at least, decisions about the schools’ fates will rest with local school boards. State officials say they currently have no plans to force schools to close.
That’s a big change from earlier this year when 38 schools across Michigan were told they were in danger of being shuttered after landing in the bottom 5 percent of state rankings for three years in a row.
Plans to close those schools were abandoned in the face of intense political opposition. Instead, the 37 schools that remained open (the one charter school on the list was closed by its authorizer) entered into “partnership agreements” with the state that require them to improve. (Read Detroit’s here).
On Monday, the state released a list of schools to be added to the partnership program. The state will now enter into negotiations with seven districts that don’t already have agreements. Among them are two Detroit charter schools — the David Ellis Academy and the Henry Ford Academy: School of Creative Studies Elementary.
Detroit’s main district, which already had 24 schools in the program, had another 24 schools added to the list. In addition, the district was invited to include nine schools that state says are trending in the wrong direction. With those nine schools, almost half of the 106 schools in the main district could be in the program.
“These will be positive, yet pressing, conversations with the leaders of these districts to get their struggling schools back on track,” state Superintendent Brian Whiston said in a statement. “We want to provide as many local and state-level partners as possible to help students in these schools be successful.”
The state’s press release has more details and the full list of Michigan schools that have been added to the program — as well as schools that have been removed from watch lists after showing improvement.
Here’s the list of Detroit schools that are now in the program:
Newly added:
- David Ellis Academy (charter)
- Henry Ford Academy: School of Creative Studies-Elementary (charter)
- Blackwell Institute
- Brewer Elementary-Middle School
- Carstens Elementary-Middle School
- Central High School
- Cody Academy of Public Leadership
- Detroit International Academy for Young Women
- Dixon Elementary
- Dossin Elementary-Middle School
- Earhart Elementary-Middle School
- East English Village Prep Academy
- Duke Ellington at Beckham
- Emerson Elementary-Middle Schools
- Greenfield Union Elementary-Middle School
- King High School
- John R. King Academy and Performing Arts Academy
- Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School
- Mann Elementary
- Marshall Elementary
- Neinas Dual Language Learning Academy
- Nobel Elementary-Middle School
- Palmer Park Prep Academy
- Pulaski Elementary-Middle School
- Schulze Elementary-Middle School
- Wayne Elementary
Schools that have the option to join the program:
- Academy of the Americas (Optional)
- Bagley Elementary (Optional)
- Brenda Scott Academy for Theatre Arts (Optional)
- Carver Elementary-Middle School (Optional)
- Edison Elementary (Optional)
- Ludington Magnet Middle School (Optional)
- Medicine and Community Health Academy at Cody (Optional)
- Nichols Elementary-Middle School (Optional)
- Spain Elementary-Middle School (Optional)
Already in the program:
- Ann Arbor Trail Magnet School
- Bow Elementary-Middle School
- Clark, J.E. Preparatory Academy
- Detroit Collegiate Preparatory High School @ Northwestern
- Detroit Institute of Technology at Cody
- Durfee Elementary-Middle School
- Fisher Magnet Upper Academy
- Gompers Elementary-Middle School
- Henderson Academy
- Marquette Elementary-Middle School
- Mason Elementary School
- Osborn Academy of Mathematics
- Osborn College Preparatory Academy
- Osborn Evergreen Academy of Design and Alternative Energy
- Sampson Academy
- Thirkell Elementary School
- Burns Elementary-Middle School
- Denby High School
- Ford High School
- Law Elementary School
- Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary-Middle School
- Mumford High School
- Pershing High School
- Southeastern High School
Editor’s Note: Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Daily Detroit syndicates their content with permission. Meet the local writers of Chalkbeat here on our Daily Detroit Happy Hour podcast.
