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DPCSD: Savings from mayor’s free student bus passes could fund after-school programs at three sites

May 1, 2026

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield has proposed that the Detroit Public Schools Community District redirect approximately $700,000 saved from her Ride to Rise program, which provides free bus fare to students, toward expanding after-school enrichment programs. However, district officials determined this funding would only support high-quality programs at three elementary-middle schools, as comprehensive district-wide programming would cost an estimated $20 million. The district identified Ronald Brown Academy, Bow Elementary-Middle, and Marquette Elementary-Middle as priority sites based on chronic absenteeism rates, declining enrollment, and limited existing program availability.

Who is affected

  • Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students, particularly those at Ronald Brown Academy, Bow Elementary-Middle School, and Marquette Elementary-Middle School
  • Approximately 360 students total (120 students at each of the three proposed schools)
  • DPSCD administrators and Superintendent Nikolai Vitti
  • Mayor Mary Sheffield
  • Detroit families seeking after-school programs
  • Community organizations and nonprofits that provide after-school programming
  • The DPSCD Board, specifically Board Chair LaTrice McClendon

What action is being taken

  • Mayor Sheffield's Ride to Rise program is providing free bus fare for all Detroit students, which began in March
  • DPSCD is conducting analysis to determine how to allocate the $700,000 in saved funds
  • The district has mapped current after-school program availability and identified schools with high chronic absenteeism and lower enrollment
  • Every DPSCD school is offering after-school tutoring in literacy and math at K-8 levels and SAT preparation for high schoolers
  • Some DPSCD schools are using their own budgets to pay for after-school programs
  • Organizations are using philanthropic or state grants to offer programs at district schools
  • The district board is beginning budget discussions for the next school year at next month's committee meeting

Why it matters

  • After-school programs are crucial because years of research demonstrate they improve school attendance, student behavior, and academic performance. In Detroit specifically, chronic absenteeism is high and academic performance lags behind statewide averages due to systemic barriers, making such interventions particularly important. The programs provide enrichment opportunities beyond basic tutoring, including robotics, music, visual arts, sports, and social-emotional development that help leverage students' interests into academic success. Despite strong demand—with many families wanting access to after-school programs—only about 1 in 5 students currently have access, revealing a significant gap between need and availability in Detroit and southeast Michigan.

What's next

  • The district board will discuss the budget for the next school year at next month's committee meeting
  • The board must approve a budget by the end of June
  • Board Chair LaTrice McClendon has requested officials put out a call to community organizations and nonprofits that may be able to provide programming at DPSCD schools
  • The state education budget, which includes Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's recommendation to increase after-school program grants to $135 million, has not yet been approved

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com