State House Approves $50M to Keep Detroit Schools Open through School Year
The bill calls for funds to keep DPS operating through the end of this school year.
An emergency spending bill to keep Detroit Public Schools open through the school year has cleared the state House. It taps about $50 million from the state’s tobacco settlement fund.
The state’s largest district probably won’t be able to pay teachers and staff after April 8 without the money, according to DPS’ emergency manager Steven Rhodes.
State House Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant) says the stopgap measure gives lawmakers more time to come up with a larger bailout package for DPS.
“This is not something that allows us to now walk away from the DPS work, but rather gives us additional time to make sure that we get it right,” said Cotter.
