DETROIT — Yesterday, the board of directors for Detroit Delta Preparatory Academy for Social Justice voted to shut down the charter school effective this Friday, leaving only 48 hours notice to students and families. The school currently enrolls more than 200 Detroit students. In response, state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit) issued the following statement:
“We would never accept a scenario where a traditional public school or public safety institution is closed with only two days notice, so there is absolutely no reason to accept this from a public charter institution. The decision from Delta Preparatory Academy to close next week is devastating for students who should be able to count on their school for a great education that extends beyond the week, and is yet another example of our charter schools prioritizing money over their students. Students and families deserve better from their educational institutions.
“I applaud the Detroit Public Schools Community District for working with these parents and students to ensure students have adequate school placement options made available to them. We must work to ensure transparency, oversight and accountability measures are put in place to ensure fractures in any child’s education doesn’t occur again due to these abrupt and irresponsible school closures. It is time for the Legislature to remove the profit motive from education and ensure that all schools are held to high standards of transparency and accountability.”
Last fall, House and Senate Democrats introduced a series of bills aimed at increasing transparency in Michigan’s charter schools to bring their operations in line with traditional public schools. Additional details on the Democrats’ charter school bills package can be found here.
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