Dearborn Public Schools

The Dearborn Public Schools is a school district that includes the entire city of Dearborn, Michigan and a small portion of Dearborn Heights, both in Greater Detroit. Dearborn Public Schools is the fourth largest school district in Michigan, serving well over 21,000 students.[1] The district had a $227 million budget for 2010.[2]

Ten Eyck Administration Building, formerly an elementary school

Operations

In 2013 a group of students and parents suggested that the high schools ought to have later starting times.[3]

Demographics

As of 2016 almost 66% of the district's students were Arab American.[4] From 2000 to 2010, during a time of growth in the Arab American community, the enrollment of DPS increased from 17,000 to 18,500. This occurred even though the number of households in Dearborn declined during the same period.[5]

In a thirty-year period ending sometime prior to 2010 the district and Detroit Public Schools both developed policies to accommodate Arab and Muslim students in collaboration with administrators, parents, teachers, and students. Policies adopted by the districts included observances of Muslim holidays, Arabic-language programs, policies concerning prayer, and rules regarding modesty of females in physical education and sports.[6]

In 1999 a group of Arab parents voted down a 1999 bond because they wanted one with more substantial funds. Instead of that $50 million bond, the parents approved of a $150 million around 2001.[7] Extensive bi-lingual programs in the district (where some schools have 90% Arabic-origin student populations) have caused concern with the Wayne County Regional Education Service Agency issuing a report suggesting banning Arabic except where absolutely necessary.[8] State budget cuts in 2011 are expected to heavily impact special programs including bi-lingual education. In 2012 the U.S. Department of Justice asked the district to provide more information in immigrant languages to parents of students who had difficulty with English.[7][9]

Since the early 1980s Dearborn district schools have vegetarian meals as alternative to non-halal meals. As of 2010 some schools use discretionary funds to offer halal meals, but most schools do not offer halal meals since they cannot get affordable prices from distributors.[10]

Academic performance

As of 2016 the poorest 25% of the district's students performed far above national averages in academic performance.[11]

Community college programs

The district has an early college program, Henry Ford Community College, formed as part of a partnership with Henry Ford Community College.[12][13] The district also offers a Collegiate Academy program through Henry Ford Community College as well.

List of Schools
Edsel Ford High School

Elementary Schools (19)

  • Becker
  • DuVall
  • Geer Park
  • Haigh
  • Henry Ford
  • Howard
  • Howe (Montessori school and disabled trainable center)
  • Lindbergh
  • Long
  • Maples
  • McDonald
  • Miller #2
  • Salina
  • Nowlin
  • Oakman
  • River Oaks
  • Snow
  • Whitmore-Bolles
  • William Ford #2

K-8 schools (2)

  • Lowrey
  • McCollough/Unis

Intermediate Schools (1)

  • Salina

Middle Schools (4)

  • Bryant
  • O.L. Smith
  • Stout
  • Woodworth

High Schools (3)

Specialized High Schools (3)

(Previously Dearborn Schools ran Clara B. Ford High School at Vista Maria, a facility for troubled girls and the School-to-Work Academy alternative high school)

Special Schools (3)

  • Cotter Early Childhood (preschool)
  • Henry Ford Early College (high school)
  • Michael Berry Career Center (high school, 11th and 12th grade career and technical classes)
    • STEM Middle School (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
    • Academic Center for Excellence (9th and 10th grade alternative program)

Defunct Schools

  • Clark (elementary school) - This school has been razed.
  • Garrison, later renamed Salisbury (elementary school) - now Imam Mahdi Association Of Marajeya
  • Howe (elementary school) - Programs moved to Dearborn Heights Campus. Building sold and demolished in 2019.
  • Lapham (elementary school) - Now the West Village Academy.
  • Miller #1 (elementary school) - This school was razed and replaced on the same site by Miller #2.
  • Oxford Avenue (elementary school) - This school has been razed.
  • Roulo (elementary school) - This school has been razed.
  • Ten Eyck (elementary school) - Now administrative offices for the school district.
  • Thayer (elementary school) - Now the Society of St. Paul's.
  • William Ford #1 (elementary school) - This school was razed and replaced on the same site by William Ford #2.
  • Adams (middle school) / original Dearborn High - Most of the original structure is still standing and is currently used for private offices.
  • Edison (middle school) - This school has been razed.

See also

References
  • Howell, Sally. "Competing for Muslims: New Strategies for Urban Renewal in Detroit". Located in: Shryock, Andrew (editor). Islamophobia/Islamophilia: Beyond the Politics of Enemy and Friend. Indiana University Press, June 30, 2010. ISBN 0253004543, 9780253004543.

Notes
  1. Dearborn Public Schools Official Website, accessed July 3, 2019
  2. Associate Superintendent Sass leaving Dearborn next year, Press and Guide, July 16, 2010
  3. "Students, parents stress on later start times at Dearborn's high schools". The Arab American News. 2013-01-04. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  4. Marger, Martin N. Race and Ethnic Relations: American and Global Perspectives. Cengage Learning, April 16, 2014. ISBN 1285749693, 9781285749693. p. 357.
  5. "Arab newcomers help Dearborn buck trend of population loss in Metro Detroit". MLive. Associated Press. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  6. Howell, p. 220.
  7. Harb, Ali (2016-09-19). "Dearborn Schools leading the way in accommodating immigrants". The Arab American News. Detroit Journalism Cooperative. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
  8. "Dearborn schools urged to ban Arabic" (Archive). The Detroit News, Tanveer Ali, January 15. 2009
  9. "Re : OCR Docket #15-10-5001 ." U.S. Department of Justice. May 30, 2012. Retrieved on January 16, 2017.
  10. Howell, p. 223.
  11. Stone, Brian. "What If America Looked Like Dearborn, Michigan?" Huffington Post. February 26, 2016. Retrieved on January 16, 2017.
  12. Stone, Brian. "How Dearborn Schools Became a Model for America." Huffington Post. February 5, 2015. Retrieved on January 16, 2017.
  13. "Collegiate Academy." Dearborn Public Schools. March 9, 2014. Retrieved on January 16, 2017.
  14. http://hfca.dearbornschools.org/
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