Detroit emergency manager promises to cut deficit, spend more in classroom

From The Detroit Free Press: Detroit Public Schools emergency manager Roy Roberts has promised to cut the district's huge budget deficit, spend more money on classroom instruction and take parents' comments to heart.

EARLIER.... From The Detroit News: Spending and staffing are being cut under Detroit Public Schools' proposed 2011-12 budget. The district plans to institute a 10 percent wage cut for all employees, a staff reduction of 853 positions and the sale of $200 million in bonds to trim the district's deficit from $327 million to $127 million. The budget reduces class sizes at most grade levels, expands pre-kindergarten programs and directs 90 percent of resources to school and related programming and operating costs. It's based on a reduced student population of 66,360 students — 60,568 general education and 5,792 special education students.