What Detroit students want from the next school board

October 14, 2026

Detroit Public Schools Community District students are voicing their priorities ahead of a pivotal school board election where five new members will be chosen from 34 candidates, potentially reshaping the district's leadership since the current board president and vice president are not seeking reelection. Students interviewed identified critical needs including improved transportation access, better building conditions with proper heating and cooling systems, adequate learning materials like textbooks and laptops, and expanded extracurricular programming across schools. Many students emphasized the importance of addressing classroom overcrowding, increasing arts funding, and maintaining effective attendance initiatives while seeking more student input on course selection and cell phone policies.

Who is affected

Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students across multiple schools including Detroit School of Arts, Cass Technical High School, Cody High School, and The School at Marygrove
Approximately 49,480 students in the district overall
More than 2,400 students at Cass Technical High School specifically
Students with disabilities, including those with dyslexia and dyscalculia
Muslim students observing religious holidays like Eid-al-Fitr
Teachers and staff members
K-8 students accessing after-school programs
Detroit voters preparing to elect five new school board members
Students experiencing homelessness

What action is being taken

Mayor Mary Sheffield announced seven new after-school sites opening across Detroit this school year using $2.2 million in city funding
The GOAL Line Detroit program is expanding to provide free after-school programming with transportation for K-8 students
Cass Technical High School is receiving a $7.3 million investment in upgrades including heating, ADA access, and LED lighting (projects expected to be completed by fall 2029)
DPSCD is constructing a new building for Cody High School (expected completion fall 2027)
The district rolled out a high school redesign plan for ninth graders in August, including career pathway exploration during seminar classes
Attendance agents are conducting home visits and concentrated in neighborhood schools with highest absenteeism rates
DPSCD is spending around $14 million annually on improving attendance
The district is offering teachers additional class periods with extra pay to lower class sizes in core classrooms

Why it matters

This is a pivotal election for Michigan's largest public school district that could change the power dynamic and direction of DPSCD, with the board president, vice president, and three other seats turning over. Student voices reveal systemic challenges affecting educational equity and access, including inadequate resources, building conditions, and transportation barriers that directly impact learning outcomes and student engagement. The chronic absenteeism rate, though improved from 76.7% to 60%, remains critically high and demonstrates ongoing challenges in student retention. These issues are particularly significant because they affect students' ability to access quality education, with resource gaps like insufficient textbooks and overcrowded classrooms creating unequal learning conditions across the district. The students' priorities highlight the need for the new board to balance immediate operational concerns with longer-term strategic improvements while ensuring all students receive equitable support.

What's next

The November 3 general election will determine five new school board members (four 4-year terms and one partial term ending in 2028)
Cass Technical High School facility upgrades are expected to be completed by fall 2029
A new building for Cody High School is expected to be completed by fall 2027
The district will work with principals to offer teachers additional class periods with extra pay to lower class sizes in core classrooms or add/shift teacher positions where needed
Individual schools will communicate to families whether their specific cell phone policy involves collecting and returning devices daily or allowing devices to stay in students' possession but turned off

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com