DETROIT – Typically Detroit Public Schools Community District brings the students back after Labor Day, but Tuesday (May 10) night, the school board passed a change to the calendar.
The school board decided that school would start a week earlier, on Aug. 29, as the change was made at the superintendent’s request.
Dr. Nikolai Vitti sees it as a benefit for multiple reasons, including the opportunity for student recruitment ahead of the all-important October Count Day.
“One of the strategies behind starting early is to end early,” said Vitti. “We run school much, much later than other districts in Metro Detroit.”
The issue with that is that several DPS buildings don’t have air conditioning, and the lack of AC can be sweltering for students, staff, and administration.
The school board passed the calendar change without discussion Tuesday night; however, President Emeritus of the Detroit Federation of Teachers felt strongly enough on the issue to address the board Tuesday night.
He doesn’t see it as a bad idea in totality but pushing it now is too much of a rush.
“The bigger issue is the fact that traditionally our students haven’t shown up until after Labor Day, even when school started after Labor Day,” said Keith Johnson. “So if we start school before Labor Day, that increases the likelihood of us not meeting the 75% threshold for it to count as a day of instruction.”
