DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – While Detroit Public Schools Community District has maintained its title as the worst-performing large urban district according to The Nation’s Report Card, it’s expenditures have grown.

The district is adding more and more staffing despite a stagnant enrollment over the last eight years.

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This year, the district more than doubled the number of psychologists, speech/language pathologists, social workers, physical therapists and occupational therapist it hires from vendors. In 2025-26, that came with a $22.5 million price tag. The number of those positions hired through vendors increased from 56 contracted staff in 2024-25 to 126 in 2025-26.

In 2017-18, the school district had 6,988 people working for it and 50,875 pupils. Last year, it had 7,891 people employed with 49,038 pupils. Despite a drop in students, the district’s expenses have increased. The General Fund budget had $633.1 million in expenditures in 2017-18. That proposed budget increased to $1.22 billion in expenditures in 2025-26.