DPS to board up 20 school buildings to address slump

Nothing is going good for Detroit Public Schools (DPS). Do you know of Detroit Public Schools (DPS)? It is a school district that covers all of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The student population of the Detroit Public Schools is 94,054 (2008-2009) and there are 194 schools in the district. What is its existing problem? Well, DPS has become, according to reports, one of the well-known preys of ongoing downturn and is on the verge of facing a deficit expected to be more than $200 million by the end of the fiscal year.

How will DPS address the deficit hence? It has been learnt that Detroit Public Schools is going to board up as many as 20 school buildings. Well, some other sources reveal, that the number may increase to some extent. The situation can be deemed as out of the frying pan into the fire and Robert Bobb, the new financial manager is becoming most instrumental. Well, the same miserable condition of the district came to the fore again in his first press conference. In his own words, the district’s deficit, previously pegged at around $140 million, was continuing to balloon and had reached more than $150 million.

Due to this unbearable situation school closings and layoffs were inevitable and they’re regarded as the only possible ways to deal with the worsening scenario. He said it very clearly, “Our reality is we have fewer students, a budget deficit, and something’s got to give.” “You have to close schools. It’s not efficient to have 300 kids in a building constructed to house well over a thousand.”

Nevertheless, the district is working on a strategy to ensure school closings take into account Detroit’s neighborhood development and are consistent with growth patterns. Last but not least, Bobb said the list of school closures will be made public soon because he believes the community, teachers, city leaders and others need to be made aware of the changes as soon as possible.