Officials in Highland Park say the city’s school district is poised to enter a new era of financial stability that results in more opportunities for students.
The district says it has balanced its books after operating for more than a decade in debt.
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the district announced that it had officially eliminated its operating deficit. The district currently maintains a fund balance of $470,245 and a cash position of $6.3 million, according to the city’s accounting firm Alan C. Young & Associates.
The news is a positive step forward for a city that has been plagued by mismanagement in recent years. Earlier this year, the city’s collection of taxes became a point of contention due to its treasurer’s office operating without a bond, a mandatory financial safeguard for municipalities.
Today, the Barber Preparatory Academy (formerly Highland Park Renaissance Academy, Barber Campus), is the last remaining charter school authorized by the school district. It’s a kindergarten through 8th grade school.
The old Highland Park High School, closed in 2009, has remained abandoned since.
The school district’s announcement said the financial turnaround is years ahead of initial estimates. Leaders say they are turning the page on a saga of financial challenges for the district, dating back to then-Gov. Rick Snyder appointing an emergency manager to oversee operations.
The HPSD Board of Education resumed local control in 2018, and since then has been working on its fiscal stewardship.
School Board President Cheryl Sanford, originally elected to the body in 2014, says she and other school board members have worked hard to bring the school district back from economic insolvency.
“It has been a long journey to get to this point,” Sanford said. “It hasn’t always been easy or enjoyable. There have been sacrifices, but we have never stopped fighting for you. We continue to uphold the legacy of Highland Park Schools and work toward the vision of restoring our district to its historic standing as one of our state’s very best. W
Sanford said officails worked “day after day and year after year” to reach this point.
“Now that we have officially eliminated our operating deficit, we look forward to expanding our offerings to better meet community needs,” she said.
HPSD Chief Education Officer Isaiah Pettway echoed Sandford’s comments, adding that the district is actively engaged in determining the best way to leverage its newfound fiscal flexibility for the betterment of the community.
“This accomplishment allows the district to aggressively move forward with educational expansion opportunities for the students and the citizens of the great city of Highland Park,” Pettway said. “It is our goal to ensure that world-class learning is available to every resident. We want to build programs that reflect real needs and deliver real results for our children and families, making learning more accessible, relevant and integral to the lives of everyone who calls our community home.”
