Chalkbeat, Patch, 8/22

As the new school year quickly approaches, schools in Detroit make final push to enroll students

By Michael Gerstein

With a new school year quickly approaching, it's crunch time for recruiting students in Detroit as district and charter schools vie for the same decreasing population of students during a summer in which multiple new schools are set to open. In the Detroit school district, pop-up enrollment centers have opened for parents to get their children signed up, while at the same time district staff are canvassing neighborhoods. The district is also offering a new curriculum for high school students, a back-to-school expo Saturday, and free immunization shots. Charter schools, too, are reaching out to parents and advertising on social media, radio, and cable television to encourage enrollment, although at least one network says it has a waiting list. With more than 100 district schools and just as many charter schools, there are more seats available in Detroit than students. Last year, overall enrollment in the city was down. In all, about 30,000 children attend school in the suburbs. That means competition is high as districts work to bring in every student they can - after all, everyone who enrolls brings about $8,000 in state funding. Schools become "financial winners and losers" as parents move their children from school to school looking for better education options, said Michael Addonizio, an education professor at Wayne State University. With dwindling resources, Detroit schools have struggled to achieve large academic gains in a state where families can pick almost any school they choose, for any reason.