Detroit school system proposes enhancements to 'quality seats'

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Changes - and not closings - are being proposed for Detroit Public Schools Community District. 

"We don't have the dollars to upgrade all our faculties based on audit," said Dr. Nikolai Vitti.

So Supt. Vitti wants to move students to what he calls quality seats.

"We want students in schools with the best facilities possible," he said.

This means the 200 students who attend the all-girls school, Detroit International Academy located at the old Northern High School which was built for 2,000 students, would transfer to a different school called GEE White Academy. 

"And we increase enrollment beyond 200 because there is a demand for a single gender girl school in that area 

Proposed changes could also come to students attending other schools like the Communication and Media Arts High School where students would go to Ludington Middle School

"The proposal would be to move from CMA to Ludington Middle for more field and land space we can build track and football stadium," he said. 

Vitti believes the changes could attract more students to the district and give DPSCD an edge over its' main competitor, charter schools 

"None of these changes are about taking something away it's really about enhancing," he said.

Enhancements that would attract the best and brightest and for Dr. Vitti, this means making Communication and Media Arts School an application school like Cass Tech and Renaissance High Schools. It also means taking Martin L. King Jr. High School from partial, to a full-exam school.

"But the latest update to that proposal would be to maintain a mile radius around King, so students living in immediate area would not take exam," Vitti said. 

The superintendent says headquarters for the district would also change from the Fisher Building to Northern High School.  

"To be in the community and be less intimidating," he said. 

If you would like to make your voice heard on the proposed changes you can so, do so on Wednesday. 

"We've had community meetings for all schools with exception of Pulaski which will be tomorrow," he said. 

To learn more about how you can contact DPSCD on the proposed changes go to www.detroitk12.org

FOX 2 reached out to the Detroit Federation of Teachers about the proposed changes and we were told that they will make their voices heard when they hold a press conference on Friday. 

Vitti says he stands by the proposals and hopes the school board will vote in favor of them next year.

"Again trying to maximize enrollment trying to maximize quality seats," he said.