Questions, answers about plan for Detroit school district

Detroit Public School teachers demonstrate in front of the Capitol Thursday morning, April 30, 2015, in Lansing, Mich. Steve Conn, head of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, said Gov Rick Snyder’s proposed overhaul of the district announced Thursday is causing the union to “draw a line in the sand and fight.” Classes were canceled in 18 Detroit schools after teachers failed to appear on the same day as Snyder’s announcement. (Dale G Young/Detroit News via AP) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Detroit Public School teachers demonstrate in front of the Capitol Thursday morning, April 30, 2015, in Lansing, Mich. Steve Conn, head of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, said Gov Rick Snyder’s proposed overhaul of the district announced Thursday is causing the union to “draw a line in the sand and fight.” Classes were canceled in 18 Detroit schools after teachers failed to appear on the same day as Snyder’s announcement. (Dale G Young/Detroit News via AP) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

By Associated Press May 1, 2015 3 min read

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wants to overhaul Detroit’s troubled state-run school district and divide its operations to address the “crushing” debt he says is hurting education in the city.

Some questions and answers about the wide-ranging plan, which needs approval from the Michigan Legislature:

___

WHAT ARE THE MAIN POINTS OF THE PROPOSAL?

Under the plan unveiled Thursday, an entirely new Detroit school district would be created to handle the academic operations of the city’s public schools. The existing district would be kept intact to collect existing taxes and pay off $483 million in debt. The Legislature would direct $72 million more annually over seven years to the new district. The new district would have a universal enrollment system in which parents would rank their top three school choices for their children. An education manager would be hired to determine if failing schools should be closed.