GUIDE: What Detroit school board candidates say about closing small schools

October 12, 2026

The Detroit Public Schools Community District has identified 19 schools as "small schools" because their enrollment-based revenue fails to cover operational and program expenses. While the district has already shuttered four previously listed schools and plans to close Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School after this academic year, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti maintains that inclusion on the list doesn't automatically signal closure. As Detroit prepares for November school board elections with five open positions, candidates responding to a Chalkbeat survey largely opposed additional closures, advocating instead for strategies to increase enrollment and preserve existing schools.

Who is affected

Students and staff at the 19 small schools on the district's list
Students and families at Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School (scheduled for closure)
Students and staff at Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy (relocated during building replacement)
Students and families at the four schools previously closed
Detroit Public Schools Community District voters
The five people elected to the school board in November
School board candidates (34 on the ballot, with 19 responding to the questionnaire)

What action is being taken

The district generates the small schools list each year
The district is closing Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School at the end of the current school year
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy students and staff have been moved to another location while their building is being replaced
The district is detailing efforts to boost enrollment, market the schools, and seek other solutions in annual reports

Why it matters

This issue is significant because it affects the educational access and stability of Detroit students in vulnerable school communities. The tension between fiscal sustainability and educational equity is central to the district's future, as declining enrollment threatens neighborhood schools while closures disrupt students' learning environments and community connections. The incoming school board members will have substantial influence over whether the district prioritizes cost-cutting measures or invests in strategies to strengthen and preserve struggling schools, shaping educational opportunities for Detroit children for years to come.

What's next

Five people will be elected to the Detroit school board in the November 3 election (four four-year terms and one two-year term)
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy will relocate back to its new building (expected to return to balanced funding afterward)
Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School will close at the end of the current school year

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com