DETROIT, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents of children in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) have filed a class action today against the State of Michigan to address pervasive inequities by the State in the funding of public schools in Detroit. 

Counsel for the parents, Gerard V. Mantese, emphasized that, "Education lays the foundation for a student's success throughout their life.  Yet, the State has failed in its constitutional obligations to the children attending public schools in Detroit. These students are entitled to adequate and equitable funding to provide competitive salaries and benefits necessary to recruit and retain qualified teachers and staff, and to upgrade aging school buildings."

DPSCD Superintendent, Dr. Nikolai Vitti supports this litigation and is prepared to provide testimony regarding the impact that persistent inequitable funding has on veteran teacher salaries, class sizes, special needs children, and aging facilities. It is clear that the State has created and maintained an unjust system of public education with "haves" and "have-nots."

Further, because of funding issues, the DPSCD is the only district that allows for both unlicensed and licensed teachers.  All of this has resulted in significantly lower literacy rates for Detroit public school students compared to their peers statewide. Currently, only 16% of Detroit public school students are proficient in reading upon entering high school, and just 22% achieve reading proficiency during high school. It should be noted that, despite the funding challenges, Superintendent of DPSCD, Dr. Nikolai Vitti has achieved a significant improvement in literacy rates since emergency management at a pace faster than the state's average through the sheer will and dedication of a devoted Superintendent and teachers trying to overcome a deck stacked against the students and their schools. 

Dr. Bruce Baker, a national expert on school funding, reports that the City of Detroit is among the most financially underfunded districts in the entire country and has student outcomes commensurate with these funding deficits. Additionally, the reports of national experts Dr. Ketrina Childs and Dr. Stacey Deering, are attached to and support the Complaint.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has stressed education as a top priority of her administration, recently declaring, "Literacy is an ordinary superpower that every child deserves." Mantese stated that, "This litigation carries out Governor Whitmer's vision of providing a fair and equitable education to all students in Michigan."

Gerard Mantese is a corporate litigator and civil rights attorney with a national practice.  He is the CEO at Mantese Honigman, PC, and may be reached at gmantese@manteselaw.com, and at 248-515-6419.

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SOURCE Mantese Honigman, PC