Sign up for Chalkbeat Detroit’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system and Michigan education policy.
The June 6 deadline for Detroit district parents to enroll their children in summer school is quickly approaching.
The school year for the Detroit Public Schools Community District ends June 10. Summer school begins June 23 and runs through July 25.
Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said he’s hoping to surpass the 12,800 students who participated in summer school in 2024. The district enrolls nearly 50,000 students during the school year.
Summer school is a critical part of the district’s efforts to improve academic achievement. Though the district has seen promising improvement on state exams, too few students are meeting reading and math expectations. As it has for more than a decade, the district has posted the worst scores among big-city districts on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, an exam known as the nation’s report card.
The K-8 summer school programs are being funded mostly through a grant from the Ballmer Group. The district’s general fund is paying for high school credit recovery courses.
Here are the details included on the district’s website that parents need to know about this year’s summer program:
Nearly 30 sites will serve K-8 students.
For students from kindergarten through the eighth grade, summer school will include a mix of academic lessons and enrichment activities. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., depending on the school.
The mornings will be focused on academics, while the afternoons will be focused on enrichment activities such as performing and visual arts; physical fitness; and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities.
These schools will serve as K-8 summer school hosts:
Academy of the Americas (elementary), Bates, Barton, Bennett, Bethune, Brenda Scott, Charles Right, John R. King, Davison, Duke Ellington, Durfee, Earhart, Edmonson, Emerson, Fisher, Golightly Education Center, Gompers, Greenfield Union, Henderson, Hutchinson, Mackenzie, Marion Law, Marquette, Munger, Noble, Priest, Roberto Clemente, Ronald Brown, Schulze,
Each of the schools above will serve students from certain schools in the district. The district’s website includes a chart that shows parents which school their child can enroll for classes.
High school is virtual, but students can get in-person support
Summer school for students in grades 9-12 is focused on credit recovery for those who are missing academic credits.
Classes for high school students will be held virtually from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
However, if a student wants support from a teacher or lacks the technology to take classes virtually, they can attend in person. Those sites are: Academy of the Americas (high school), Cass Technical High School, East English Preparatory Academy at Finney, Detroit Lions Academy, and Mumford High School.
Like the K-8 enrollment process, high school students can visit in person at the building assigned based on where they were enrolled during the school year.
Meals, transportation, and other programs included
Summer school students will be served breakfast and lunch, and school bus transportation will be provided for K-8 students, though it’s more limited than it is during the school year, so call 313-945-8600 for more information. High school students who opt to be in person for support will be provided city bus passes.
The district’s Summer Learning Experience will also include:
- A boot camp for those entering kindergarten.
- A 9th grade bridge program for students entering high school.
- A fine arts program for middle and high school students will operate from Saturday, July 19 to Saturday, Aug. 2 at the Detroit School of Arts.
- There is an extended year program for students with disabilities whose individualized education programs call for the extra time.
Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.
