Detroit Families: Make The Choice To Be Engaged In Solutions

By Sharlonda Buckman, CEO, Detroit Parent Network

Detroit Parent Network was an active participant in the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren (follow #choiceisours on social media). As part of that group, we spent 12 weeks co-designing a plan forward for students in our city-- one based on the dream of better schools for all children. Today, I want to lift up the role of families in seeing our vision become reality.

You see, for decades now, many Detroit families have left the city or go to extraordinary lengths to get their children in schools outside of town. The report captures the impact of this best: "The city cannot continue to rebound without strong schools serving new generations of families. But families in particular have been voting with their feet, accounting for a huge percentage of the city's recent population loss."

Any family living in Detroit, regardless of income, will come up against transportation issues. Whether we're navigating the exorbitant auto insurance rates or potholes, the fact that only one in four of us have cars, or our less than adequate public transportation system, we know that getting to school is a big deal. Transportation is just one of many things Detroit families face as barriers to getting to school.

Parent Patrina Riley states, "it's important for parents to be engaged at their schools and in their community because it is then they are given the opportunities they need to effectively better serve their child and their child's education. Being involved in parenting classes has also empowered me as woman; I know I'm advocating for the very best for my daughter."

At Detroit Parent Network, we work every day to increase parent participation, communication and collaboration, particularly as relates to ensuring every Detroit family has great educational options. It's easy to list everything that isn't working in our schools -- we should always have a clear-eyed approach to identifying gaps -- and we should never stop expecting only the best. When we work together on common challenges, like transportation, we're improving our own lives as we make those of future generations better.

What are the challenges you face raising a family in Detroit? Let us know in comments below.

*Content provided by our sponsor Michigan Education Savings Plan.