© 2024 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Detroit schools aim for strong count day

Detroit schools are doing everything they can to get students in class for the annual state “countday.”

The numbers recorded Wednesday are more important than ever. They’ll account for 90% of state aid to schools, up from 75%  in past years.

Some Detroit schools are using gimmicks and incentives, like iTunes gift cards and “get out of homework passes,” to boost their numbers.

But district spokesman Steve Wasko says the district has also put a sustained focus on attendance in the past month.

“It’s not just one special day of the year, or in Michigan’s case, two special day of the year, that students should be in classrooms. But the fact attendance is vitally critical every day, all day, every day throughout the school year.”

Wasko says the district “feels quite good about progress on attendance and enrollment this year.”

After some hiccups to start, Wasko says the district is averaging around 62,000 students in class every day. That’s roughly a 90% attendance rate.

Spokesman Steve Wasko says the district made very conservative enrollment projections—and it looks like they’ll probably meet them.

“We would appear to be in a good situation to meet or in fact perhaps slightly exceed that 65,800 mark that the budget is based on,” he says.

Detroit Public Schools had about 167,000 enrolled students in 2000.

Sarah Cwiek joined Michigan Public in October 2009. As our Detroit reporter, she is helping us expand our coverage of the economy, politics, and culture in and around the city of Detroit.
Related Content