What does the future of look like for the schoolchildren of Detroit? That's a top-of-mind question right now for students, parents, educators and politicians - not just in the city, but throughout the state of Michigan.
Detroit Public Schools transition manager Judge Steven Rhodes sat down to talk about education issues during a live WXYZ.com webcast at the 2016 Mackinac Policy Conference.
As the state legislature works to come up with a mutually agreeable solution for the city's schools, Judge Rhodes made his view clear. "We need $200 million to give the new school district a reasonable chance for success."
Rhodes says Detroit schools need to attract some of the students who live in the city, but attend suburban schools. He says there are about 27,000 students who fit that category.
The transition manager also says he knows it's not just a task that involves the city's public schools, but charter schools as well.
Rhodes, who presided over the city's bankruptcy case, says, "This experience is new to me."
In his interview, he spoke about how he deals with legislators and the need to educate the whole state on the importance of improving Detroit's schools.
Watch the full interview with Judge Rhodes in the video player above.
