Mayor Duggan on Detroit Education Reform

Stephen Henderson speaks with Mayor Mike Duggan on Detroit Today to discuss who he thinks should be in control of Detroit’s schools and how to improve the choices of Detroit students and their parents. Some of the key points he makes:

• Power to the people: Duggan says that control of Detroit schools should be returned to the people of Detroit. He says after six years of declining enrollment and achievement along with growing deficits, it is time for a school board election to be held next spring. He believes that “in this city today you would get the most talented people to come out and run, and the people of Detroit would have confidence.”
• School transportation: Duggan would like to give a choice of school to every child in the city. But for one-third of students in Detroit with no access to a car, the only choice is the public school closest to them because charter schools often don’t supply transportation. Duggan proposes taking the DDOT and DPS bus systems and, with additional funding, making one school bus system to give each child a choice of five or six schools.
• Neighborhood revitalization: Duggan says that as revitalization efforts move forward across the city, peoples’ expectations are being raised. He says the entire process will likely take four to five years to complete, but that the city is moving in the right direction.

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the audio link above.