Detroit school district hosts community meetings ahead of budget vote
(CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education is hosting two community information meetings before the 2023-24 budget is voted on next Tuesday.
The first meeting was virtual, and dozens of questions were posted in the chat from parents, teachers and those involved in schools regarding the budget. Questions were filtered through a moderator who asked them to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.
Funding comparisons, expenditures and COVID-funded programs were just a few of the slides discussed. Of those several points mentioned, inflation and its impact on schools.
"Operation costs have dramatically increased. Everything from cleaning to maintaining buildings, to transportation, bus drivers, gas. The cost of energy, heating and cooling buildings, lights in buildings have all increased in costs," Vitti said.
School board chair Angelique Peterson-Mayberry was also on the call. She says this budget and the community questions that come with these meetings are about finding what works and what doesn't.
"As you trim what are some of those tangibles, we have to make sure continues to stay a part of the learning environment going forward," Peterson-Mayberry said as the meeting concluded Monday afternoon.
More details on the budget can be found here.