A number of states have free preschool programs for all 4-year-olds, regardless of income. But politics and funding in Michigan have made that difficult here.

Vacant schools can become crime hubs or crumbling dangers. But even if that doesn’t happen, they are disheartening reminders of Detroit’s struggle to prioritize education for its children.

Restrictions on how to use a vacant Detroit school building and a murky process for purchasing them makes a tough road even more difficult.