Leaders at Dearborn Public Schools want students, parents, educators and community members to have a stake in a child’s education.
The third largest district in Michigan has highly performing schools, a 96 percent graduation rate and early childhood programs.
Here’s a breakdown on everything parents should know about Dearborn Public Schools.
Overview of Dearborn Public Schools
- Phone number: 313-827-3000
- Number of schools: 37
- Number of students: 19,644
- Pupil to teacher ratio: 21:1
- PPE: $17,406
- Quick links: School calendar, enrollment information
- Claim to fame: The district offers dual enrollment, a STEM middle school, early childhood programs, three early college programs and the award-winning Collegiate Academy. About 45 percent of students attending Dearborn Public Schools are English Language Learners. Plus, the district is accredited by Cognia.
2. District partnering with mental health organization
For students and educators seeking mental health support, the district has contracted with Care Solace to connect them with local counselors and other resources. Care Solace is a health coordination business that helps schools streamline the referral process. The service is free and confidential for those seeking help.
Those seeking help can also visit the website at caresolace.com/site/dearborn to find a local provider on their own or click “Book Appointment” for assistance.
3. Adding green space
For the roughly 970 students attending Salina Elementary and Salina Intermediate Schools, class instruction might include some time out in a brand new green space next year. The Green Schoolyards initiative is expanding thanks to an approximately $425,000 funded mostly by grants, donations and in-kind support.
Kindergarten students will get a green schoolyard space featuring a rain garden, nature-based structures, wooden stepper path, spring riders, a tricycle path for riding, additional trees and shrubs for heat shelter and air filtering and more.
Older students will enjoy a recreation field as well as more trees and landscaping. Both schools already have gardens, but Salina Intermediate will also receive a rain garden this fall.
The installation will be placed next to an industrial area that struggles with pollution. The new green space is also designed to help offset some of the air quality issues and reduce the impact of heat islands during the summer.
4. Electric buses
The district is set to receive 18 new electric buses this school year. Currently, school leaders are working out the logistics for issues like taking buses on longer field trips away from school charging ports.
The district already owned one electric bus, so now 19 of its 73 bus fleet will be electric. Switching from diesel buses to electric is a move by the district to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
About half of the new buses will include wheelchair lifts for special education students.
5. COVID funding has dried up
The remaining 15 percent or $20 million of the money Dearborn Public Schools received from the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic will most likely be spent by this August.
The district plans to use the last of its money for ongoing building projects, like the Haigh Elementary expansion and installation of air conditioning in a handful of elementary schools. While many districts across the nation are turning to layoffs as the last of the pandemic funding dries up, Dearborn Public Schools does not expect a huge impact. There will be a slight reduction in staffing but no layoffs.
The majority of the impact will be on building repairs and maintenance. Funds previously used on facilities will now be funneled into staff salaries.
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