Detroit School District Still Needs Teachers

Detroit’s public school district reports that it has 171 vacant teaching positions.

The largest number of vacancies is in general education, with 124 unfilled positions. There are also 45 unfilled special education positions.

The data also indicates the district has 46 elementary and 49 secondary teaching positions open. Out of those 49 secondary teaching vacancies, 16 are in math and 20 are in science.

The district is using substitute teachers to fill the positions not held by full-time instructors.

In mid-September, the district had 194 teaching vacancies in general and special education, accord to The Detroit News. At the start of the school year, two weeks earlier, the district had 250 unfilled teaching positions.

The previous school year, Detroit’s school district had to leave 300 unfilled teaching positions vacant, sell $10 million in property and use a one-time transfer of $15.7 million to avoid running a deficit.

In June 2016, the Legislature wiped away the school district’s debt by approving a $617 million bailout.