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Five new schools have been added to a list of buildings the Detroit school district is monitoring for possible consolidation or closure due to challenges like high operating expenses, low enrollment, and underutilization.
Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti presented an annual report on the district’s small schools during a school board committee meeting on June 24. The report examines the program and operating expenses the 19 schools carry and how they surpass the revenue received through state and federal funding and grants.
The presentation was similar to one he gave last year outlining potential solutions that include merging schools, stepping up enrollment efforts, reconfiguring grades served, and investing in marketing.
The five schools added to the list for the 2025-26 school year include Palmer Park Prep Academy, Pasteur Elementary School, Gardner Elementary School, Chrysler Elementary School, and Thurgood Marshall Elementary, which is closing at the end of next school year.
Schools that were previously on the list but were removed include Mark Twain School for Scholars and four schools that closed earlier this month that the district identified for phase out in 2022: Ann Arbor Trail Magnet School, J.E. Clark Preparatory Academy, Catherine Blackwell Institute, and Greenfield Union Elementary-Middle School.
The 18 other schools on this year’s list are not slated to close at this time, Vitti said.
“The schools on this list, all by varying degrees, the district supplements their budget based on the number of students enrolled at the school and the cost of running that school,” he said.
Below is a list of the schools on the list, not including those already being phased out:
Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 61
- Utilization rate: 5%
- Revenue: $1,441,707
- Expenses: $3,050,786
- Cost per student: $50,013
- Comparison school cost per student: $11,832
- Potential solution: Reconsider bringing back sixth, seventh, and eighth grades since enrollment dropped when Frederick Douglass turned into a high school. Another option is moving the school within a high school building and operating it as a program within a school.
Davis Aerospace Technical High School at Golightly
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 112
- Utilization rate: 15%
- Revenue: $1,828,078
- Expenses: $2,963,458
- Cost per student: $26,459
- Comparison school cost per student: $11,832
- Potential solution: Monitor enrollment improvement closely and explore possibility of expanding course offerings to non-Davis students in a CTC model after relocation to City Airport if enrollment does not significantly improve.
DPSCD Virtual School
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 196
- Utilization rate: n/a
- Revenue: $2,248,592
- Expenses: $3,719,368
- Cost per student: $18,976
- Comparison school cost per student: $10,525
- Potential solution: The district has expanded admission requirements to increase enrollment for special student circumstances.
Detroit International Academy for Young Women
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 228
- Utilization rate: 33%
- Revenue: $3,817,804
- Expenses: $4,742,678
- Cost per student: $20,801
- Comparison school cost per student: $10,525
- Potential solution: Explore moving school and transition to a program within a larger high school building. Use the current DIA building (which was renovated) for Davison Elementary-Middle School.
Crockett Midtown High School of Science and Medicine
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 178
- Utilization rate: 35%
- Revenue: $2,830,968
- Expenses: $3,518,370
- Cost per student: $19,766
- Comparison school cost per student: $11,832
- Potential solution: Consider moving the program to an existing high school building as a program, or moving DIA and the Frederick Douglass Academy to the building.
Palmer Park Prep Academy
- Grades: Pre-K-8
- Enrollment: 359
- Utilization rate: 61%
- Revenue: $6,426,493
- Expenses: $7,486,621
- Cost per student: $20,854
- Comparison school cost per student: $14,886
- Potential solution: The district is adding two additional Montessori classrooms for the 2026-27 school year and expects enrollment to rebound as lower-grade Montessori students matriculate to middle school.
Detroit Lions Academy
- Grades: 6-12
- Enrollment: 388
- Utilization rate: 83%
- Revenue: $6,432,088
- Expenses: $7,582,328
- Cost per student: $19,542
- Comparison school cost per student: $11,832
- Potential solution: “Because the demand and need for alternative education settings are high, and because students at the school need smaller, supportive learning environments, continue to fund at current levels,” the report states.
Osborn High School
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 392
- Utilization rate: 42%
- Revenue: $5,756,220
- Expenses: $6,819,521
- Cost per student: $17,397
- Comparison school cost per student: $12,691
- Potential solution: Continue to provide prioritized enrollment support with a focus on ninth grade recruitment. The district may also consider the phaseout of Osborn after the new Pershing building opens.
Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School
- Grades: 1-8
- Enrollment: 178
- Utilization rate: 25%
- Revenue: $3,774,262
- Expenses: $4,187,111
- Cost per student: $23,523
- Comparison school cost per student: $13,705
- Potential solution: School is phasing out and will close at the end of the 2026-27 school year with the new Paul Robeson Malcolm X building opening.
Pasteur Elementary School
- Grades: Pre-K-6
- Enrollment: 234
- Utilization rate: 43%
- Revenue: $4,289,113
- Expenses: $4,736,304
- Cost per student: $20,241
- Comparison school cost per student: $13,705
- Potential solution: Provide school with prioritized enrollment support, including a “Summer on the Block” event for current and potential families with door-to-door canvassing prior to the event in the surrounding communities.
Carstens Academy of Aquatic Science
- Grades: Pre-K-8
- Enrollment: 295
- Utilization rate: 43%
- Revenue: $5,060,494
- Expenses: $5,555,271
- Cost per student: $18,831
- Comparison school cost per student: $13,705
- Potential solution: The school will move into a new facility as part of the district’s facility master plan, which will reduce operating costs and increase enrollment.
Northwestern High School
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 284
- Utilization rate: 31%
- Revenue: $4,526,557
- Expenses: $5,002,007
- Cost per student: $17,613
- Comparison school cost per student: $12,691
- Potential solution: Consider a smaller and more modern building as a K-12 on the existing campus to emerge with Sampson-Webber Leadership Academy through a new district bond.
Pershing High School
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 444
- Utilization rate: 22%
- Revenue: $6,367,128
- Expenses: $7,051,324
- Cost per student: $15,881
- Comparison school cost per student: $12,691
- Potential solution: The school’s new building will increase enrollment and will have fewer seats and reduced costs, the report states.
Edison Elementary School (Montessori)
- Grades: Pre-K-5
- Enrollment: 289
- Utilization rate: 88%
- Revenue: $4,925,889
- Expenses: $5,276,909
- Cost per student: $18,259
- Comparison school cost per student: $14,886
- Potential solution: Phasing out of Montessori education will increase seat access to neighborhood students in addition to Pre-K expanding from one classroom to two, with a total of 36 seats, according to the report.
Edmonson Elementary (Montessori)
- Grades: Pre-K-8
- Enrollment: 307
- Utilization rate: 63%
- Revenue: $4,802,073
- Expenses: $5,005,375
- Cost per student: $16,304
- Comparison school cost per student: $14,886
- Potential solution: “As of May 2026, there are 215 new 1st choice applications submitted for Edmonson. Edmonson will be fully funded with 42 additional students,” the report states.
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy
- Grades: K-8
- Enrollment: 268
- Utilization rate: 74%
- Revenue: $4,541,908
- Expenses: $4,738,660
- Cost per student: $17,682
- Comparison school cost per student: $14,886
- Potential solution: “The school is currently operating out of the former CMA, while a new building is constructed. When the school relocates back to its new building it should return to a balanced funding model,” the report says.
Detroit School of Arts
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 553
- Utilization rate: 39%
- Revenue: $7,431,525
- Expenses: $7,850,424
- Cost per student: $14,196
- Comparison school cost per student: $11,832
- Potential solution: DPSCD has continued to develop and expand the K-8 performing arts pathway schools, leading to annual increases in enrollment
- at DSA. This will continue with the new K-8 Southwest performing arts school. The school needs to enroll 20 additional students to break even with expenses, the report says.
Gardner Elementary School
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 211
- Utilization rate: 55%
- Revenue: $3,712,772
- Expenses: $3,822,624
- Cost per student: $18,117
- Comparison school cost per student: $13,705
- Potential solution: Provide school with prioritized enrollment support, including a “Summer on the Block” event for current and potential families with door-to-door canvassing prior to the event in the surrounding communities.
Chrysler Elementary School
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 142
- Utilization rate: 76%
- Revenue: $2,535,488
- Expenses: $2,593,725
- Cost per student: $18,266
- Comparison school cost per student: $14,886
- Potential solution: “The small deficit was caused by increases in personnel costs due to teacher salary increases and the adjustment to MPSERS (Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System) reimbursements,” the report states.
Micah Walker is a reporter for BridgeDetroit. You can reach her at mwalker@bridgedetroit.com.
