You would think that since Detroit is considered a poor city that their schools would reflect that.  Well you are wrong.

As being reported by the Michigan Capitol Confidential news site, Detroit Public Schools received $13,743 per pupil in state, local and federal money for the 2014 - 2015 school year. According to the report that is more money than school districts in “rich” cities like Ann Arbor ($12,437), Grosse Pointe ($12,149) or West Bloomfield ($10,910) receive.

No go figure, and Detroit is the school district in financial trouble and the others are not, or at least are not to the extent that DPS is.

Every time someone writes a column or pontificates on air about the DPS system being underfunded remember this blog.  Or better yet send them this blog and ask them to help us understand why they are writing or saying what they are.

The latest was the 2016 Michigan Teacher of the Year.  Rick Joseph teaches in the Birmingham Public School district and recently wrote a column in the Bridge Magazine.  He is quoted as saying:

This narrative exists all over our state, I have witnessed it in the funding gaps that exist between debt-ridden urban and rural areas and affluent suburbs, from Detroit to Birmingham, Grand Rapids to Forest Hills, or Lansing to DeWitt. Nowhere in Michigan are these inequities more obvious than in Detroit. The city clearly is on an upswing. The motor capital of the world is rapidly reinventing itself with a cool city vibe that is welcome after generations of economic decline. Public education, however, has yet to share in this renaissance.

Really Mr. Joseph, can you help us understand what you wrote and the facts given earlier in this column?  You may have an answer, I do not know, but I have yet to hear one from anyone claiming that certain school districts are poor.

Oh, one more little fact for you Mr. Joseph and all others who believe the same thing.  Detroit receives 45% more than the statewide average for all Michigan districts.

So as usual the question is what are they doing with all of this money?  Do they have a higher overhead cost then other school districts?

Again there may be an answer but I have not heard it yet.

Let's talk about this Monday on The Live with Renk show,  which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon, to let me know your thoughts at (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.

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