Michigan's school superintendent says the Detroit school district plans to voluntarily close some chronically low-performing schools that a state reform office had threatened to close.
Brian Whiston made the disclosure during a State Board of Education meeting Wednesday. Spokesman Bill DiSessa said Thursday Whiston doesn't know which Detroit schools or how many may be closed and when.
Messages seeking comment were left with the district.
The state Education Department has been working on "partnership" agreements with districts to neutralize another state office's threat to close 38 schools ranked in the bottom 5 percent statewide for at least three straight years. Twenty-five of schools at risk are in Detroit, including 24 run by the district or a state turnaround entity whose schools will return to the district's control this summer.
