Detroit schools are in financial crisis and won’t be able to pay teachers after April 8

Emma Brown:


The Detroit public school system is running out of cash so quickly that it likely will not be able to make payroll after April 8 unless state lawmakers take action soon, the new state-appointed emergency manager said Wednesday.

Steven Rhodes, who assumed the helm of Detroit Public Schools at the beginning of March, urged members of the House Appropriations Committee to move quickly to pass legislation to deal with the school system’s mounting debt, the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News reported.


“We can’t print money,” he said, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Detroit plans to spend $768,893,425 during the current school year or $8,481/student for 90,660 students.

Madison, the land of milk and honey, spends more than $17,000/student.