NIKOLAI VITTI

The teacher’s lawsuit could test the Detroit school district’s COVID protocols, specifically its requirement that most teachers work in person.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District said it will switch to online learning on Fridays in December in response to rising COVID-19 cases and the need for mental health relief.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is shifting to remote classes in order to slow COVID spread, clean, and provide a mental health break.

The proposed Michigan dyslexia laws have drawn unusually broad support from lawmakers and experts who say the state has not done enough to identify and support struggling readers.

The COVID vaccine for young children is safe and effective, and could help reduce disruptions to education.

Mayor Mike Duggan held a news conference Friday morning to detail plans to vaccinate children for COVID-19 in Detroit following federal authorization.

The district is taking a different approach to keeping schools safe, reducing the role of its armed police officers and shifting more responsibilities to unarmed security guards.

Four Detroit public schools have temporarily shut down in light of rising student COVID cases.

The Detroit district is seeking revised guidance from the city’s health department.

Action by Detroit schools is swift Tuesday night following a huge brawl at East English Village Preparatory Academy.

Three weeks into the school year, Detroit Public Schools Community District officials are still fielding complaints from parents about its new virtual school.

Up until 6:30 p.m. on Friday last week, Cass Tech did not know if it was going to play a football game or not. After 50 players were quarantined due to a player testing positive for COVID-19, Cass Tech was on the verge of forfeiting. Instead, Cass Tech got the green light to play with one major catch: Only vaccinated players could participate in the game. According to first-year Cass Tech head coach Marvin Rushing, that meant he could only dress 19 players – only five of which were starters. Despite the circumstances, Cass Tech managed to keep things close as Renaissance pulled off a 13-6 win.

“It’s a great opportunity for those that want to make a difference in our schools and support our students,” said superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti.

After a school year in which few security guards were needed, the Detroit school district is looking to boost pay and host job fairs to recruit more applicants.

Early enrollment numbers in the Detroit school district has Superintendent Nikolai Vitti feeling "cautiously optimistic."

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is spending $70 million for COVID testing for students and staff.

An outbreak at Renaissance High School within the football team has caused concern among some Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers.

Teachers will receive annual raises during the two-year contract, including 4% yearly raises for veteran teachers at the top of the pay scale.

Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti won high marks for his pandemic outreach and protocols, and for helping to improve literacy instruction.

The Biden administration says the historic amount of federal pandemic aid flowing to the nation's K-12 schools presents a moment for reimagining all aspects of American education.

School districts across Michigan are preparing for students to return to the classroom after the pandemic forced many to attend school virtually.

Watch Flashpoint every Sunday at 10 a.m. on Local 4 News.

The mask mandate and testing are among the COVID safety protocols included in the district’s reopening plan, which the Detroit school board approved Tuesday.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District and its teachers have reached an agreement to return to classrooms for in-person learning under updated COVID safety standards.

Detroit school board members also approved a new standalone virtual school during Tuesday’s meeting to launch for the 2021-22 school year.

In many Michigan schools, fun enrichment classes are just as vital to summer school this year as lessons that catch up students who are behind.

Detroit will see an increase in funding of about $27 million. That money could go a long way to help repair buildings, replace books and equipment and set the district on a better path forward.

The Detroit school board meeting Tuesday covered topics including holding back struggling students, providing incentives for good grades and attendance, and options for advanced classes.

The district announced Thursday morning it will receive about $1.2 billion in federal funding.

In Detroit, where COVID vaccination rates have lagged, DPSCD, religious, and union leaders are urging students and staff to "take the shot."

The district announced Thursday morning it will receive about $1.2 billion in federal funding.

Members from the Detroit Public Schools Community District and The Council of Baptist Pastors say they need teachers and students back in class this fall.

Here’s what's coming up on Local 4 News at Noon.

Plans shared with the community would require the Detroit district’s most vulnerable students, as well as students in Montessori programs, to learn in person.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is offering a recurring bonus of $15,000 for certified teachers to teach students with special needs.

With just 22 days left before summer break Detroit Public Schools Community District returns to in-person learning after a two-month shutdown.

Schools within the Detroit Public Schools Community District will be allowed to resume in-person learning starting Monday, May 24.

Face-to-face learning could restart based on assessments beginning Wednesday of mid-May data; mask-wearing, social distancing and regular symptom checks will continue.

The Detroit school district invested heavily in recent months to renovate its ventilation systems in hopes of reducing the spread of COVID-19 in classrooms. The question now is whether the changes...

Michigan public school students will be required to take federally mandated standardized tests this spring, despite the argument from state leaders that the pandemic has disrupted student learning. Last school year, DOE did waive standardized testing for Michigan. Kalamazoo is scheduling dates to test students. While many students learning remotely statewide likely won’t be tested, advocates say the exams still have value. “We believe students should have that option, and some students would like to test, especially high school students for the PSAT/SAT.

The U.S. Department of Education has denied Michigan’s request to waive the federal requirement to administer the state summative assessments, the Michigan Department of Education announced Tuesday.

Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti knows that, despite his best efforts to convince families, not every student will return to his district’s school buildings this fall. That means virtual learning is here to stay, at least for a while. But Vitti wants it to work differently, with virtual students whose grades or attendance dip getting a formal nudge to return to buildings. Meanwhile, some school districts are launching more permanent online schools, or plan to house their fully virtual students at alternative schools. Other wild cards include exactly how many families will choose virtual learning, and whether states will continue to fund virtual learning at similar rates as students who are learning in-person.

DETROIT – In-person instruction resumed Monday at Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti estimates only about 1,000 of the returning students will receive full face-to-face instruction right now. READ: In-person learning resumes today at Detroit public schoolsAdSome teachers are still teaching remotely, even if their students are at the school. Students will either have supervision from a teacher or an adult if they are physically at school. READ: Detroit public schools say there aren’t enough teachers to meet the demand as schools reopenWatch the videos above for the full report.

(CBS DETROIT)- For the first time in 4 months students of the Detroit Public School Community District return to classrooms. As DPSCD returned to face to face learning Monday, Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti was on hand to greet students and teachers who choose to return to in-person. “They’re excited to be back, I think for them it’s interacting with their peers seeing their teachers face to face.”Vitta says, only 30% of teachers choose to return to in-person compared to 40% of families, so things will look different initially. President of the Detroit Federation of Teacher’s Union Terrence Martin toured multiple building along with Vitta, to ensure safety measures were in place. He’s hoping with these safety measures more teachers will return to the class rooms.

DETROIT – In-person instruction is resuming Monday at Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings. About 20,000 students have opted to return to the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic this spring. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Viti estimates only about 1,000 of the returning students will receive full face-to-face instruction right now. Teachers are being offered an incentive of $750 more per quarter if they return to in-person instruction. More: Return To School updates

DETROIT – An estimated 20,000 Detroit Public School Community District students are set to return to classrooms Monday, but their teachers may not be there. READ: Detroit public schools to resume in-person learning on March 8The DPSCD said there are not enough teachers who are willing to go back into classrooms to meet the demand. AdREAD: Student demand for in-person learning far outweighs the number of teachers willing to return in DetroitSome parents spoke out and said they don’t want their children to be taught on a screen in a classroom. Even thought schools within the DPSCD will return to in-person learning Monday, some parents -- like Kimble and Ta’Mara Williams -- are choosing to keep their students at home. “The teachers are not ready and the students are not ready as well.”The bottom line is that the in-person demand for in-person learning exceeds number of teachers willing to return to the classroom.

READ: Detroit public schools to resume in-person learning on March 8That amounts to about 20,000 children, but Detroit teachers willing to return to the classroom are only about at 20-30%. Detroit teachers were moved to the head of the line and anybody wishing to have the vaccine has had access. “We’re going to need services relative to trauma, we need mental health services,” Martin said. Constant cleaning, a max of 20 children per classroom, masks and social distancing, plus an extra $750 per quarter for teachers willing to return to the classroom. In the beginning Vitti says, “There will be a disconnect between family demand for in person learning and teachers willing to teach in person.”More: Return To School

In a letter to families, Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) officials announced that all grade levels at all schools will resume face-to-face learning beginning Monday, March 8. Students do still have the option to continue with online learning even as schools reopen amid the pandemic. Earlier this week, Detroit public schools reopened learning centers in the city following COVID-related closures, allowing students to learn remotely while in a classroom setting. Gretchen Whitmer “strongly encouraged” Michigan public schools to reopen for in-person learning by the beginning of March. Whitmer gave for Michigan schools returning to in-person learningWhitmer’s administration prohibited face-to-face learning for high schools in mid-November to help curb the spiking coronavirus cases.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District opened learning centers across the city on Wednesday. The centers are places for students to learn remotely while in a classroom setting. READ: Educators weigh in on standardized testing during COVID pandemicSakina Bolden is the superintendent of Detroit International Academy for Young Women. On Wednesday, Bolden and Detroit schools superintendent Nikolai Vitti toured the school’s new home and welcomed back students who chose to use the building’s learning center. Now that learning centers are open again, school officials are working toward getting back to in-person learning in March.

Gretchen Whitmer is expected to announce that Michigan youth contact sports will be allowed to resume with COVID-19 safety measures in place, Local 4 has confirmed. UPDATE: Michigan youth contact sports can resume Monday -- here are all the rules, specifics and detailsParents, coaches and athletes involved in contact sports that are currently shut down due to the pandemic have voiced their desire to return. Ad“To be direct, winter ‘contact’ sports need to start,” Vitti wrote. “The continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports contradicts the message that it is safe to return to in-person learning,” Vitti wrote. Their lawsuit is asking a judge to grant an injunction, sending high school athletes back into action, not just practice.

Youth contact sportsWhitmer is expected to announce that Michigan youth contact sports will be allowed to resume with COVID-19 safety measures in place. “The continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports contradicts the message that it is safe to return to in-person learning,” Vitti wrote. Two shutdowns, partial reopenings: How Michigan restaurants have been handled during COVID pandemicOn Monday (Feb. 1), restaurants were allowed to open to 25% capacity after being shut down for two and a half months. She had traveled to the UK and returned with the variant, officials said. U of M athletics shut downAll athletics at the University of Michigan are still shut down because of the outbreak.

LANSING, Mich. – The battle to provide education for all during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to become more and more complicated. READ: Return To SchoolState superintendent Dr. Michael Rice called on the state Legislature to extend the school year Tuesday for students to make up for the lost time. “This school year, in and of itself, can’t even last five minutes longer,” said Paula Herbart, the president of the Michigan Education Association. Students need a break.”It’s undeniable that the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years have exhausted teachers. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said he can’t realistically extend the school year, but he can expand learning opportunities in every neighborhood.

DETROIT – School officials said remote learning has had a detrimental impact on students and their parents. There have been impacts on test results and the way teachers can spot any possible lag in learning. Dr. Nikolai Vitti, the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District, is grappling with just how much his students suffered. Officials with the School District of the City of Pontiac said there was a huge learning loss in their district. Educators said they don’t really know how far many of their students have fallen behind because of parents helping children at home.

DETROIT – By the end of the month the Detroit school district is reopening learning centers for students. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti made an announcement. READ: Detroit schools superintendent urges Whitmer to resume high school contact sportsThe learning centers are set to reopen on Feb. 24. As more COVID-19 vaccines are administered and the community spread stays below 5 percent the district wants to step back into the face-to-face model which will hopefully phase back in starting in March. AdIf community spread remains low then actual face-to-face learning will resume in March.

Gretchen Whitmer was asked Monday about the ban on certain Michigan high school contact sports and whether they might be allowed to resume in the near future. Right now, only certain sports, including football, are allowed to compete at Michigan high schools. This has become a controversial topic across the state as the governor urges all schools to resume in-person learning by March 1. On Monday, during a COVID-19 briefing, Whitmer was asked about contact sports resuming. “I was wondering if there’s any way you could set a date certain for contact sports to resume,” a reporter said.

It said many student-athletes have started to cross state lines to play or are losing faith they’ll ever play again. “They are doing what you asked them to do, but it’s been 10 months since we’ve played basketball in our state ... A petition is also circulating with more than 25,000 signatures to get the governor to restart contact sports. On Monday, a petition was started by group calling themselves a coalition of Michigan athletes asking for 5,000 signatures to show support for lifting the 2-week pause. “The opposition, despair, and anger to the continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports is rapidly growing in the city and across the state.

Dr. Nikolai Vitti started the letter by clarifying that he supports Whitmer, but he has grown frustrated by a lack of clarity about when winter contact sports can resume. He said there are continuing and legitimate fears about COVID-19 in the Detroit community, but 31 female and male high school coaches want to play basketball. “The continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports contradicts the message that it is safe to return to in-person learning,” Vitti wrote. “Please do not let this frustration reach the level of a lawsuit against you and the state,” Vitti cautioned. “Coaches, student-athletes and their parents are in conversation with attorneys.”Mental health, physical well-being and scholarship opportunities are being affected, he said.

DETROIT – School districts across Michigan are struggling to meet Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s target to return to in-person learning by March 1. Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said 10-20% of students have been absent since the COVID pandemic started. The Southfield Public School District, has been 100% since March and while recognizing the importance of bringing students back to their teachers, Dr. Jennifer Martin Green said the science dictates the district remain remote. Both districts believe vaccinations are a key part in getting students and teachers back in the classroom safely.

DETROIT – Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s contract has been extended another three years beyond its current expiration, the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) announced this week. His current contract is set to expire June 30, 2022. Vitti first stepped into the Detroit superintendent position in 2017. He previously served as Duval schools superintendent. An amendment to the contract links his percentage of salary increase and one-time bonuses to that of teachers for a given contract year.

DETROIT – While you were voting coronavirus cases surged just as many feared they would. Michigan witnessed its highest single daily case count on Friday. Meanwhile, the state is overwhelmed as hospitals and schools try to adjust to the concerning situation fast. Guests on Sunday’s episode which included Michigan education and healthcare leaders discussed the future as cases continue surging. MHA represents all the community hospitals in Michigan.

“It’s very serious,” said John Fox, president and CEO of Beaumont Health, the state’s largest system. Unlike six months ago, COVID-19 is surging statewide, not just in the Detroit area — making it tougher for hospitals to manage by transferring patients or staff elsewhere. Meanwhile, Michigan’s largest school district will suspend in-person classes next week, joining other districts that have shifted to online-only classes as coronavirus cases rise significantly. Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said he cannot ignore a city infection rate that is climbing after reaching nearly 5% last week. Vitti faced criticism from some teachers and activists for offering a face-to-face option for his roughly 50,000 students, but he said families deserved choices.

(CBS DETROIT)– After rising cases of COVID-19 have recently forced local school districts to end all in-person learning. It was just a matter of time before DPSCD, the largest district in Southeast Michigan, followed suit. Vitti says all students have been provided with computer devices and free Wi-Fi connection. The district will also continue to provide meals to families. On Mondays 3 meals will be given out from 9am till 1pm, and on Thursdays 4 meals will be distributed during those same hours.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) will shift from face-to-face learning to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16. There have been outbreaks -- defined as two or more connected COVID-19 cases in people not of the same household -- in Michigan schools. School districts are trying to balance the desires of parents to have children in school and the fact that students learn better in person. Different districts have different risk tolerance and resources to reduce risk, which is why decisions shave been left up to local leaders. More: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schools

The largest school district in Michigan is switching to remote learning as the Detroit Public Schools Community District announced face-to-face learning will be suspended from No. According to DPSCD athletic director Jay Alexander, athletics within the district will continue as long as the Michigan High School Athletic Association allows for members schools to do so. “The city infection rate was nearly 5 percent last week and has been increasing this week.”In the statement, Vitti said the decision to suspend face-to-face learning is about safety and accountability. "Without a vaccine, we will remain accountable to that 5-7 percent infection rate. This has allowed us to keep schools open for in person learning and access to our learning centers with a limited number of outbreaks as compared to other districts and schools throughout the state.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Public Schools Community District has cancelled all in-person classes until Jan. 11 as coronavirus cases continue to climb in Michigan. Without a vaccine, we will remain accountable to that 5-7 percent infection rate,” Vitti said in a press release. This has allowed us to keep schools open for in person learning and access to our learning centers with a limited number of outbreaks as compared to other districts and schools throughout the state." In-person learning will continue and learning centers will remain open today and Friday to allow families time to make arrangements for virtual learning next week. Should the city’s infection rates improve in the coming weeks, the district may return to face-to-face learning prior to Jan. 11.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) will shift from face-to-face learning to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16. “All classes will be held online starting Monday, November 16 due to the rapid increase in the COVID-19 infection rate in Detroit. We are committed to supporting your students rise!”Detroit schools were offering optionsDPSCD had been offering options for parents including online learning, in-person learning and a hybrid of both amid the coronavirus pandemic. “The online learning wasn’t ideal and our children have fallen farther behind,” Vitti told CNN. The new move to online learning by DPSCD comes as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge in Michigan.

(CBS DETROIT) – The Detroit Public School District announced Thursday it is shifting to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16 due to the rise in coronavirus cases. The suspension of face to face learning will continue until January 11. Face to face learning and learning centers will remain open Thursday and Friday to provide families time to rearrange educational support for students. DPSCD is suspending Face to Face Learning from Nov.13, 2020 due to Detroit's rising COVID-19 infection rate. As is the case currently for online students, three meals will be distributed on Mondays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and four meals on Thursdays during the same timeframe.

Health officials had asked workers in central Auckland to stay home on Friday while they investigated the case but say they can now return to work. — Surge of coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France, but still straining hospitals. Alaska has had over 20,000 cases, including 477 new cases reported Thursday. She is scheduled Friday to address the situation and is expected to announce new public health restrictions aimed to curbing spread. That’s the impassioned message that dozens of parents and school administrators are sending to public health officials in Pennsylvania’s third-most populous county.

click to enlarge Courtesy of BAMNActivist group By Any Means Necessary protests reopening the city’s public schools amid the pandemic. “And an increasing number of parents have been withdrawing from face-to-face programs as the case numbers continue to skyrocket. "DPSCD administration also needs to drop its legal claim that districts are prohibited from mandating COVID-19 testing," he said. "They are trying to put 'individual rights' before the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, parents, and community members. Superintendent Vitti needs to resign now."

DETROIT – For the last 11 years the Detroit Public Schools Community District has been under the auspices of some type of state supervision -- but in five days that will change. For the first time since 2009, the Detroit public schools system is poised to be released from state supervision. READ: Detroit public schools, teachers union agree to 1-year contractRobert Bob was brought in as an emergency financial manager of the school system when it was facing debt and mismanagement. READ: Volunteers go door-to-door to find lost Detroit studentsIn 2020, with a painful mix of cuts, controversy and work -- the district now has 110 schools, 49,000 students and a $0 deficit. Detroit schools will have full independent command and autonomy over its finances and structure.

DETROIT – Wellness teams were sent out to check on Detroit Public Schools Community District students for the third time. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti is concerned for the safety, food security and learning status of students in the district. The wellness teams are made up of hundreds of volunteers. The district has always fought the uphill battle to circumnavigate poverty, transportation and social environment to get students into school. READ: Volunteers go door-to-door to find lost Detroit studentsWatch the video above for the full report

Here’s what’s coming up on Local 4 News at 4:Student count day uncovers concerns in local districtWellness teams were sent out to check on Detroit Public Schools Community District students for the third time. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti is concerned for the safety, food security and learning status of students in the district.

Detroit Pershing lost one of its student-athletes earlier this week when junior Ga’heime Griffin died in a car accident while on his way home from work late at night. Griffin was also an honor roll student, a JROTC battalion commander, a member of the National Honor Society and was involved in student leadership. Griffin was a passenger in the vehicle and was accompanied by two other Pershing students who are also his coworkers. He was a student who attended my student leadership council meetings. "He was a student who attended my student leadership council meetings.

DETROIT – A student at Pershing High School was killed in a crash while driving home from work Tuesday. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent, Dr. Nikolai Vitti, said Ga’heime Griffin was a young man doing all the right things. Not just a good student, but a good person. The Pershing High School senior was a passenger in his friend’s vehicle. Griffin was on the Honor Roll, the National Honor Roll, Student Leadership, GM Student Corp. and played varsity football, basketball, baseball and cross country.

(CBS DETROIT) –(CBS DETROIT) – For the past three years Detroit Public Schools Community District’s teacher compensation has been on an upswing. That’s according to a statement released by school administrators, so much so that starting teaching salaries are the highest in the state. Nicole Stuckey has been a Spanish teacher at Mumford High School for two years. Back in 2017, DPSCD starting teacher salaries were around $35,000. In addition to pay raises, the agreement includes bonuses for employed and retired DFT members.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) and the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) Local 231 announced Tuesday they have reached agreement on a one-year successor contract for the 2020-21 academic year. DFT members ratified the agreement on Oct. 5, according to the district. This shall be the only step movement for these unit members during the 2020-2021 school year. All other DFT unit members not on the teacher salary schedule shall receive a base wage increase of 2.74% as of the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. Aug. 28, 2020: DPSCD and Detroit Federation of Teachers reach deal to reopen schools

Gretchen Whitmer came out about organized sports, the kids were back on the field. The kids were calling me excited, so excited saying, Were back, said Denby assistant coach Zach Carr. Detroit Public Schools and Consolidated District (DPSCD) Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has been pushing for fall sports to resume. I think it means everything to these kids, said Central assistant coach Damon Turner. Central head coach Jimmie Macon said small attendance isnt an issue, but what organized sports provide the children is.

The rally was organized by the group Let Michigan Football Play. READ: Michigan High School Athletic Association cancels fall football season due to coronavirusTwo 16-year-old students named Aiden Dale and Max Jones came from Macomb Township to plead for their football season to be given the green light. I wrestle too and I dont know what I would do if I couldnt play sports. Both he and Jones play for Dakota High School as a middle linebacker and a free safety, respectively. Whitmer to reinstate high school footballAll of these sports are in jeopardy and were not whiny and its not about me watching sports. READ: More high school sports coverage

DETROIT The superintendent of Detroit public schools sent a letter to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, asking her to reinstate a fall high school football season across the state. Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, addressed the letter to Whitmer and the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Officials said at the time that they hope the season can be played this spring. Factually, nothing changed from a players health perspective or risk analysis from strongly stating football would be played to it being postponed.Vitti said he believes politics were involved in the decision to cancel football.

The deal occurred a week after members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers authorized a strike over coronavirus safety. The Detroit Public Schools Community District is the largest in Michigan with roughly 50,000 students. Schools that open will become vectors of disease spread, and the spread wont be limited to the schools. The district said teachers will have the option of teaching online, though nearly all schools with have some in-person instruction. Teachers could earn an extra $750 per quarter, or $3,000 for the year, if they work in classrooms, the district said.

DETROIT An agreement to reopen schools was reached between the Detroit Public Schools Community District and the Detroit Federation of Teachers. For some of our families and students, this means face-to-face instruction and for others it is online learning.Schools are expected to reopen Sept. 8. Nearly all schools will offer some level of face-to-face instruction, even if most teachers and students will function online at particular schools. Required use and distribution of masks for students, teachers, and all staff. For more information on the reopening of schools, visit the official DPSCD website here.

DETROIT Teachers at Detroit public schools are holding a vote Wednesday that could put a hold on in-person learning, though remote classes could still go on as planned. Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said teachers are voting on whether to give leaders of the Detroit Federation of Teachers the authority to use a possible strike as a bargaining tool. VIEW LIST: Heres what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemicBut the vote could quickly put the brakes on any plans for in-person learning when classes resume. The problem is remote learning isnt feasible for many in the district. Vitti has been a proponent of continuing in-person learning for about 25% of the school population.

DETROIT The Detroit Federation of Teachers said the district is not ensuring their safety on the job. The membership is threatening a work stoppage if Detroit schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti does not pull the plug on face-to-face learning, which is scheduled to start on Sept. 8. For months, the administration for the states largest school district with 51,000 students has insisted parents must have a choice between remote and face-to-face learning. READ: Heres what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemicTerrance Martin, who represents around 4,300 staffers in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, said his membership does not feel safe returning to the classroom. On Wednesday, it will vote to strike and teachers involved in remote learning will not be crossing the picket line.

LANSING A group of Michigan educators took to the lawn of the Capitol Building in Lansing on Thursday to protest the states return-to-school plan amid the coronavirus pandemic. Thursdays protest was about the online learning teachers want instead of in-person learning, and so they have been very serious about their social distancing. Knowing that Detroits superintendent, Dr. Nikolai Vitti, is pushing hard for in-person learning, she sees more practical problems. RELATED: What will it take for Michigan schools to go back to in-person learning? Gretchen Whitmer reveals plan for schools to return to in-person learning this fall

DETROIT The deadline for all students enrolled in summer school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District to get tested for coronavirus was Sunday. Summer school stopped last week after a protest group went to federal court to shut down in-person classes. He -- and many parents -- want summer school back up and running. Thats our responsibility as a school district to meet parents and students where they are educationally.More than 600 students are taking voluntary classes. The district said 341 students have been tested through the Detroit Health Department and two students -- from different schools -- tested positive.

DETROIT City officials announced Thursday two students attending summer school in Detroit have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). She said her daughter had started summer school healthy, but she now found herself struggling to breathe. He said hes open to testing all the students, provided its not just Detroit students. The students that tested positive were not from the same school, or from the same neighborhood or communities, Vitti said. So far, 274 kids were tested and two have tested positive.

DETROIT, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) Detroit Public Schools will raise starting teacher salaries by 33 percent, which will make them the highest paid first year educators in metro Detroit, according to a press release from the district. Breaking News: DPSCD to Provide Additional Salary Credit for New Teachers: Salaries to Start at $51,071Highest in Metro Detroit. pic.twitter.com/xtkoLiVaFb DPSCommunityDistrict (@Detroitk12) May 21, 2020The raise will start salaries at $51,071 compared to the current starting wage of $38,400. There is absolutely nothing more important to the learning process than having an outstanding teacher in every childs classroom. DPSCD has increased teacher salaries across-the-board for the last three years with the average teacher seeing a salary increase of nearly $10,000 since 2016-2017.

DETROIT, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) Detroit Public Schools is offering grab and go breakfast and lunch where parents can pull up, pick up and take off. Whether theyre in charter schools, whether theyre in private schools, whether they send their kids to other districts. Students wont be filling-up on just food, they can also feed their minds. High school students will have access to workbooks and online enrichment courses. You know so they wont think they getting it easy.

In partnership with 24 Detroit-area organizations, DPSCD is investing in the arts and setting the Detroit School of Arts on a path to becoming the premier performing arts school in the tri-county area. We want to reestablish our Detroit School of Arts (DSA) as the premier performing and fine arts high school in Detroit. And its hitting the ground running: The district is partnering with 24 local organizations* to invest both resources and expertise through the Detroit School of Arts (DSA) Pathways Initiative. As a result of early arts and music education, students on the verge of middle school may want to attend a more focused arts program. Content brought to you by Detroit Public Schools Community District.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends high school start times later than 8:30. Schools everywhere have been pushing high school start times back, from Dearborn and Berkley in suburban Detroit to the entire state of California. Research highlighting the benefits of later high school start times has been making headlines for decades, but school districts have been slow to change. The average school start time nationally is still 8:03 a.m., and many schools start earlier. Critics of the policy argue that changes to district bus schedules made to accommodate later high school start times can result in painfully early wake-up calls for younger children.

The dozens of people who attended the first facilities meeting in the Detroit school district Thursday night walked away armed with information. That legislative effort created a separate district the Detroit Public Schools Community District to educate students, while the old Detroit Public Schools district exists to collect tax revenue and pay off debt. He repeated Thursday night something hes previously said: that he is committed to keeping current high schools intact. No good buildings in Northwestern boundary; Cass Tech deficientEach of the meetings is being held in a different high school, with information about the schools located within the high schools boundary area. Vitti argued at Thursdays meeting that the district needs a mix of traditional high schools and examination schools in order to attract and keep students.

The Detroit school district has some massive facility needs and no easy fixes. At these meetings, to be held in high schools across the district, the public will hear about the physical conditions of buildings. Theres also been a slight shift in the plan to move students from CMA to the building now occupied by Ludington Middle School. The plan had been to move the Ludington students to Charles Wright Academy. Now, though, the district says the Ludington students will be able to remain at their school until they finish the eighth grade.

The Detroit school board approved a plan to have student survey results factor into some teacher evaluations, but the feedback from children will carry less weight than district officials had intended. Even with that change, union officials voiced opposition, and so did some teachers at a school board meeting Tuesday night. When the plan was first presented to board members last month, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said the survey results would count towards 10% of a teachers evaluation. Angelique Peterson-Mayberry, vice president of the board, raised concerns Tuesday night and successfully got the student input lowered to 5%. This is just a way to empower students to give feedback.Research has found that student survey results can generally predict student performance.

Fourth-graders in the city district scored significantly higher this year on the math section of a rigorous national progress exam than they did in 2017, the last time the test was administered. Fourth-grade math scores improved by 6 points, a change researchers said was statistically significant. Its not easy to move NAEP scores by 6 points in two years, said Peggy Carr, associate director of NAEP. But theres no question that the test scores are a good sign for the district. The last time the test was administered, the math scores dropped significantly.

Enrollment appears to be moving up in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti announced an enrollment increase this school year via Twitter Monday afternoon. Enough said It was unclear Monday whether the numbers he cited were based on Count Day enrollment tallied earlier this month. Last year, the districts Count Day number showed a slight decline, though Vitti said in December that hundreds of students had enrolled in the district after the 2018 enrollment count. In October 2017 the Detroit school district posted enrollment gains that were largely due to students enrolling in the district after the dissolution of the Education Achievement Authority.

The average owner of a home in Wayne County would pay an additional $82 in taxes annually if the millage is approved. Supporters of the committee, listed on a news release, include Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon, DTE Energy President and CEO Jerry Norcia. Organizers said the proposal will address a $55 million funding shortfall in after-school programs across the county. Tuesday night members of the Detroit school board hesitated over some details of the tax proposal. Vitti said he has asked that either he or a member of the Detroit school board be a part of that oversight board.

An important revenue source that has helped the Detroit school district provide pay increases to employees will be up for renewal next year. In the Detroit district, $19 million is at stake. Detroit Public Schools operating millageAnother likely ballot initiative is the renewal of an operating millage for Detroit Public Schools, which exists primarily to pay off debt. In 2016, a legislative initiative created a new entity the now three-year-old Detroit Public Schools Community District that exists solely to educate students. The operating millage revenue is important to projections that the old debt in DPS will be paid off in 2027.

Raises of 3% and bonuses of as much as $950 are on the way for a number of employees of the Detroit school district, according to tentative agreements negotiated with unions. The agreements cover most Detroit Public Schools Community District non-teaching staff, including police officers, office workers, paraprofessionals, most noon-hour aides, and union administrators. They also must be approved by the Detroit Financial Review Commission, which has some oversight of the district thanks to the $617 million legislative package in 2016 that addressed the crushing debt in the citys school district. The agreements close out the final year of three-year agreements the district entered into with its unions in 2017. Employees represented by the seven unions will also receive one-time bonuses that Vitti described as the highest amount of bonuses these groups have received in some time.The bonuses generally range from $750 to $950.

Tuesday marked the first official day of the school year in Michigan, including in the Detroit school district and many charter schools in the city. The high school will also one day include a dual-enrollment program allowing students to take college courses right on campus. Saar said Marygrove students will receive an engineering-focused education, taught through a social justice lens. It has boosted us, said Sean Townsin, principal of Escuela Avancemos, of the grant. Many were carrying tales of frustration with Detroit schools, as well as the hope that this year would be different.

After years of bleak academic results, the Detroit school district is a bright spot in newly released state test scores. In the Detroit district, 10.2% did. The Detroit districts high schools will begin using a new curriculum this school year, a year after K-8 schools adopted new materials. The number of Detroit district third-graders who passed the state English exam last year rose to 11.9%, up from 9.9% two years ago. Chalkbeat and Bridge Magazine teamed up to cover the state test scores.