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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Teacher Protest Shuts Almost All Detroit Public Schools | Teacher Protest Shuts Almost All Detroit Public Schools |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| An organized teacher “sickout” forced nearly all of Detroit’s public schools to stay closed on Monday and Tuesday after the system’s chief manager said that without more money from the state, he would be unable to pay teachers the salaries they are owed in July and August and summer school would be canceled. | |
| Teachers have staged other major sickouts this year, calling for teachers to call in sick, but this is the first one sanctioned and organized by their union, the 2,600-member Detroit Federation of Teachers, in a sign of how the crisis in Detroit Public Schools is escalating. | Teachers have staged other major sickouts this year, calling for teachers to call in sick, but this is the first one sanctioned and organized by their union, the 2,600-member Detroit Federation of Teachers, in a sign of how the crisis in Detroit Public Schools is escalating. |
| Here are some of the questions raised by these events: | Here are some of the questions raised by these events: |
| How bad are the school system’s finances? | How bad are the school system’s finances? |
| In a word, awful. No other large school system in the country is in comparably terrible shape. Officials have talked about the possibility of filing for bankruptcy. | In a word, awful. No other large school system in the country is in comparably terrible shape. Officials have talked about the possibility of filing for bankruptcy. |
| Several years in a row, the district has done short-term borrowing just to keep operating, and with little ability to repay, nearly all of that debt just gets rolled over into the next year’s budget. The district’s year-end budget deficit ballooned to a projected $320 million this year from $94 million in 2013 — nearly half the total $667 million general-fund budget. | Several years in a row, the district has done short-term borrowing just to keep operating, and with little ability to repay, nearly all of that debt just gets rolled over into the next year’s budget. The district’s year-end budget deficit ballooned to a projected $320 million this year from $94 million in 2013 — nearly half the total $667 million general-fund budget. |
| And that doesn’t count the district’s immense long-term obligations: $3.5 billion in debt, pensions and other costs. | And that doesn’t count the district’s immense long-term obligations: $3.5 billion in debt, pensions and other costs. |
| Can’t the State of Michigan do something? | Can’t the State of Michigan do something? |
| It has done a few things, and it might do more. But so far, the record of state intervention, and the prospects for a long-term fix, look murky at best. | It has done a few things, and it might do more. But so far, the record of state intervention, and the prospects for a long-term fix, look murky at best. |
| Since 2009, Detroit Public Schools has been under the financial control of a series of emergency managers appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder and his predecessor, Jennifer Granholm. Those managers have come up with plan after plan, and things have only gotten worse. | Since 2009, Detroit Public Schools has been under the financial control of a series of emergency managers appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder and his predecessor, Jennifer Granholm. Those managers have come up with plan after plan, and things have only gotten worse. |
| Darnell Earley was the state-appointed overseer for barely a year, after serving as emergency manager of the City of Flint; he was appointed to both posts by Mr. Snyder. He abruptly resigned from his Detroit schools position early this year, under fire over Flint’s water contamination crisis. | Darnell Earley was the state-appointed overseer for barely a year, after serving as emergency manager of the City of Flint; he was appointed to both posts by Mr. Snyder. He abruptly resigned from his Detroit schools position early this year, under fire over Flint’s water contamination crisis. |
| A year ago, Mr. Snyder, a Republican, proposed a $715 million aid package for the Detroit district, but it has been bogged down in the Republican-controlled Legislature. | A year ago, Mr. Snyder, a Republican, proposed a $715 million aid package for the Detroit district, but it has been bogged down in the Republican-controlled Legislature. |
| “The alternative is so unimaginable,” Steven Rhodes, the current emergency manager, said at a news conference on Monday. “D.P.S. will not be able to maintain operations after June 30.” | “The alternative is so unimaginable,” Steven Rhodes, the current emergency manager, said at a news conference on Monday. “D.P.S. will not be able to maintain operations after June 30.” |
| In January, the district warned it would simply run out of cash and have to shut down in April, with more than two months left in the school year. To avoid that, the governor and the Legislature approved $48.7 million in emergency aid in March, but that was enough to keep the doors open only through the end of the school year. | In January, the district warned it would simply run out of cash and have to shut down in April, with more than two months left in the school year. To avoid that, the governor and the Legislature approved $48.7 million in emergency aid in March, but that was enough to keep the doors open only through the end of the school year. |
| Wasn’t there already a bankruptcy? | Wasn’t there already a bankruptcy? |
| That was the City of Detroit. The school district is a separate entity, and was not included in the city’s 2013-14 bankruptcy. | That was the City of Detroit. The school district is a separate entity, and was not included in the city’s 2013-14 bankruptcy. |
| How did things get this bad? | How did things get this bad? |
| There are a lot of factors, including mismanagement, but a major contributor is demographics — specifically, the sharp decline in the city’s population. In addition, more than half the students going to publicly funded schools in the city attend charter schools, which have proliferated in the last generation. | There are a lot of factors, including mismanagement, but a major contributor is demographics — specifically, the sharp decline in the city’s population. In addition, more than half the students going to publicly funded schools in the city attend charter schools, which have proliferated in the last generation. |
| So that leaves Detroit Public Schools with just 46,000 students, down from 167,000 in 2000 and more than 200,000 in the early 1980s. That means a much smaller budget, as most of the system’s funding comes from the state and is paid on a per-student basis. | So that leaves Detroit Public Schools with just 46,000 students, down from 167,000 in 2000 and more than 200,000 in the early 1980s. That means a much smaller budget, as most of the system’s funding comes from the state and is paid on a per-student basis. |
| The local tax base has shrunk radically, as the city has gotten smaller and poorer, restricting the ability to raise money that way. But the district is still carrying debts, retiree costs and infrastructure that it built up when it was a much larger system. | The local tax base has shrunk radically, as the city has gotten smaller and poorer, restricting the ability to raise money that way. But the district is still carrying debts, retiree costs and infrastructure that it built up when it was a much larger system. |
| Does the district have other problems besides being broke? | Does the district have other problems besides being broke? |
| Where to start? This is probably the most troubled big district in the country, and the woes are tied to money. | Where to start? This is probably the most troubled big district in the country, and the woes are tied to money. |
| By many measures of academic performance, Detroit’s students fare worse than those in most other large school systems. An analysis released last week by Stanford University researchers put Detroit students, on average, 2.3 grade levels below the national average in achievement. | By many measures of academic performance, Detroit’s students fare worse than those in most other large school systems. An analysis released last week by Stanford University researchers put Detroit students, on average, 2.3 grade levels below the national average in achievement. |
| Many of the schools are literally falling apart, with crumbling plaster, water damage and leaks, roaches, rats and mold in the buildings. | Many of the schools are literally falling apart, with crumbling plaster, water damage and leaks, roaches, rats and mold in the buildings. |
| The planned class size in Grades 6 to 12 is 38 students, which many educators would consider too big. But in reality, many classes are bigger because of a shortage of teachers. | The planned class size in Grades 6 to 12 is 38 students, which many educators would consider too big. But in reality, many classes are bigger because of a shortage of teachers. |
| Why would the district be paying teachers in July and August, anyway? | Why would the district be paying teachers in July and August, anyway? |
| Teachers, who are paid every two weeks, had a choice to receive their salaries for the 2015-16 school year over 44 weeks (September through June), or over 52 weeks (September through August), which many people prefer because it makes family budgeting easier. The union said almost two-thirds of teachers spread the payments over the full year. Some teachers had also counted on additional earnings from working in summer school. | Teachers, who are paid every two weeks, had a choice to receive their salaries for the 2015-16 school year over 44 weeks (September through June), or over 52 weeks (September through August), which many people prefer because it makes family budgeting easier. The union said almost two-thirds of teachers spread the payments over the full year. Some teachers had also counted on additional earnings from working in summer school. |