New plan calls for 45 more Detroit schools to close as district confronts enrollment losses

45 Detroit schools slated for closing under plan

DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools are considering closing 45 schools in the next five years because students are leaving the district.

The district’s emergency financial manager Robert Bobb on Wednesday plans to release the possible closing dates. His $1 billion plan calls for closing the schools between 2010-2015, renovating some and consolidating others.

The district projects Detroit’s full-time, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade enrollment will fall from nearly 88,000 to under 57,000 in five years.

Detroit also closed 35 buildings about three years ago. The Kansas City, Mo., school district announced plans last week to shut down nearly half that district’s schools by the start of classes in the fall amid falling enrollment.