Detroit schools aim to catch up, and then some, with US aid

By COREY WILLIAMS
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit’s public school system is investing much of its $1.3 billion in federal COVID-19 relief aid to improve learning for its students and help fix what has been broken for decades. Nationally, pandemic relief to schools in the U.S. totals $190 billion. High-poverty areas got the most per student. Detroit received the highest rate among big districts, getting about $25,000 per student. The district chronically has been among the lowest-scoring in the nation on standardized tests. It’s spending millions on tutoring, programming and mental health efforts. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says now is the first time he feels the district has equitable funding, but “unfortunately, it had to come during a pandemic.”