Detroit and other Michigan cities are turning to businesses to help pay for schools that offer a wide array of services for students, their families, and surrounding neighborhoods.
The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Rick Pluta tells us how three schools in Detroit will use corporate support to expand what they offer.
Governor Rick Snyder was at Western International High School in Detroit to accept a one and a half million dollar donation from JPMorgan Chase. The idea is this: Students won’t succeed without a supportive environment in and out of the classroom.
“And when you look at a neighborhood that may have challenges, the best place to start is the local school,” he says.
Snyder says schools can be used to provide parenting training, advice on managing household finances, help finding a job, and counselors who are available around the clock.
It’s also being tried at schools in Pontiac, Flint, and Saginaw. The governor says he’s looking for more businesses to step in and help with the financing and to demand results.