Leadership
District profile / Michigan
Detroit Public Schools Community District
48,828
Students
2024-25 school year
104
Schools
2024-25 school year
$17,246
Spending per student
FY2020-21 · 49% above the Michigan median
16.1
Students per teacher
2024-25 · Michigan median 16.8
Detroit Public Schools Community District is a public school district based in Detroit, Michigan, serving 48,828 students in 104 schools. By enrollment it ranks #1 of the 316 Michigan districts with 1,000 or more students, making it the largest in the state. Its schools average 470 students each, more than the Michigan median of 421. Its superintendent is Nikolai Vitti. It spends about $17,246 per student on day-to-day operations, 49% more than the Michigan median. It has roughly 16.1 students per teacher. We've matched 61 news stories to the district.
How Detroit Public Schools Community compares
Detroit Public Schools CommunityMichigan median, districts with 1,000+ students
Spending and staffing
Where the money comes from$932.7 million in revenue · FY2020-21
Federal 32%State 59%Local 9%
| Measure | Detroit Public Schools Community | Michigan median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $17,246 | $11,576 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $8,227 | $7,157 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $872.3 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $932.7 million | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 3,031 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 6,928 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 16.1 | 16.8 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 351 | 585 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Michigan median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Nikolai Vitti
Source: Michigan CEPI Educational Entity Master, checked 2026-10-04. Report a change
In the news
61 stories matchedLeadership
Election 2026: Endorsements in the Detroit school board races
Teaching & learning
Detroit Public Schools breaks ground on Southwest International Academy of Arts and Culture
Leadership
4 Detroit school board candidates have felony convictions, analysis finds
Leadership
34 people are running for Detroit school board. Here's where they stand on issues
Technology & AI
Verizon Launches Michigan's First Innovative Learning Lab to Boost Tech Education in Detroit Schools
Teaching & learning
Operation: Rack and Roll brings new bike racks to Detroit schools near Joe Louis Greenway
Teaching & learning
Too young to vote, but DPSCD students have lots to say about the district’s next chapter
Leadership
Five seats at stake in Detroit school board election
Leadership
What does the Detroit school board control? A guide for voters
Leadership
Detroit Public Schools, Michigan State University Partner to Address Special Education Teacher Shortage
Leadership
Breaking down race for DPSCD school board positions
Leadership
Interactive: Pick your Detroit school board candidates
Teaching & learning
DPSCD Celebrates Opening of New $8.8M Athletic Complex at Communication & Media Arts High School
Teaching & learning
Detroit schools partner with MSU to expand autism teacher pipeline
Leadership
Voter guide 2026: What Detroit school board candidates say about closing small schools
Leadership
Detroit school board candidate forum and more: Get involved
Teaching & learning
Detroit Public Schools Community District is showing up and showing out for Count Day on October 7th
Teaching & learning
DPSCD, MSU team up to prepare more educators to serve students with autism
Teaching & learning
Detroit schools urge urban explorers to stay off district property after incident at Blackwell Institute
Teaching & learning
Detroit Free Press Marathon gives shoes to DPSCD students running race
Teaching & learning
DPSCD students receive new shoes ahead of Kids Marathon race
Leadership
Voter guide 2026: Are Detroit students better off under DPSCD? School board candidates weigh in.
Leadership
5 Detroit school board candidates run as a slate backed by ‘militant’ ‘anti-fascist’ activism group
Leadership
Should parents be held accountable for their children’s chronic absenteeism? Board candidates weigh in.
Teaching & learning
K-2 reading growth slowed last year in the Detroit district. Here’s what administrators say caused it.
Teaching & learning
Here’s what DPSCD board candidates would do to replace literacy money that’s about to run out
Leadership
Detroiters to vote on two-year, four-year terms for DPSCD school board
Leadership
How Detroit school board candidates would address chronic absenteeism
Leadership
This November’s Detroit school board election may drastically change the district’s direction. Here’s how.
Peer districts in Michigan
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Public Schools Community DistrictDetroit · this district | 48,828 | 104 | $17,246 | 16.1 | #1 |
| Utica Community SchoolsSterling Heights | 25,297 | 37 | $11,538 | 17.9 | #2 |
| Dearborn City School DistrictDearborn | 19,262 | 37 | $13,709 | 14.8 | #3 |
| Ann Arbor Public SchoolsAnn Arbor | 16,871 | 32 | $15,265 | 14.9 | #4 |
| Plymouth-Canton Community SchoolsPlymouth | 16,083 | 23 | $11,951 | 17.7 | #5 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County SchoolsFayetteville, NC | 49,002 | $10,286 | 16.8 |
| San Francisco UnifiedSan Francisco, CA | 48,902 | $17,416 | 21.0 |
| Horry 01Conway, SC | 48,662 | $11,927 | 14.5 |
| Humble ISDHumble, TX | 48,502 | $10,341 | 14.9 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-mi-detroit-public-schools-community-district