Michigan Superintendent Says Detroit Will Close Some Schools

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan's school superintendent says the Detroit school district plans to voluntarily close some chronically low-performing schools that a state reform office had threatened to shutter.

Brian Whiston made the disclosure during a State Board of Education meeting Wednesday. Spokesman Bill DiSessa said Thursday Whiston doesn't know which Detroit schools or how many may be closed and when.

Messages seeking comment were left with the Detroit Public Schools.

The state Education Department has been working on "partnership" agreements with districts to neutralize another state office's threat to close 38 schools ranked in the bottom 5 percent statewide for at least three straight years. Twenty-five of schools at risk are in Detroit, including 24 run by the district or a state turnaround entity whose schools will return to the district's control this summer.

Parents and students are invited to a town hall meeting Thursday evening at Chosen Generations Community Center on the city's east side to discuss the issue.  The meeting, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., is sponsored by the 14th Congressional District Democrats Political Action Committee. [Get more details].

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