Gov. Snyder Says GOP Plan for DPS Sets School District “On The Path” to Recovery

Snyder talks about “the path” to viability for DPS

Laura Weber Davis, WDET

Gov. Rick Snyder says the proposals to save the floundering Detroit Public Schools district that have come out of the Legislature will benefit the system. He tells Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson that if lawmakers had approved a half-billion dollars for DPS a year ago and returned the district to local control it would have been warmly welcomed. 

But critics say the current proposal under negotiation in the Legislature falls far short of public school advocates’ expectations. Many groups, including elected officials and business leaders from Detroit, want a larger cash infusion and a board that would oversee the opening and closing of schools in the city. Advocates say the board would increase accountability on low-performing schools, including charters.

Snyder says the proposal would turn DPS in the right direction for recovery, much like a historic municipal bankruptcy did for the city of Detroit last year.

“Now we’re on the path,” he says. “People believe that wonderful things can happen, and many years ago people didn’t see (the city of) Detroit turning around the way it has.” 

Snyder says schools do need to be held accountable for poor performance. And he says another key to helping DPS in the long run is ensuring “great candidates” run for the school board.

To hear more of Snyder’s conversation on Detroit Today, click on the audio player above.

 

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