Many urban school systems across the country are struggling.  Detroit's 
education system is in crisis. The Detroit Public School District 
consistently falls at the bottom in academic progress among America's large 
urban districts. It has the worst high school graduation rate in the 
country at 25 percent, operates under an emergency financial manager, and 
has a shortage of everything ranging from mandated tutoring services to 
toilet paper.

New Orleans' education system was in a comparable state before Hurricane 
Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region in August 2005.  However, in the 
aftermath of the storm, New Orleans became a laboratory for change by 
necessity. School leaders began to consider anew the direction of the 
city's low-performing public school system, and took action to improve it.

 "Rebuilding Detroit's Schools: A Tale of Two Cities" examined current 
educational challenges in Detroit and reform strategies being used in New 
Orleans. Michigan Radio reporters Jennifer Guerra and Sarah Hulett spent 
months looking at the two school systems and talking with students, 
parents, teachers, school administrators, and experts exploring how lessons 
learned in New Orleans' school reform efforts could benefit Detroit and 
other cities.

Many urban school systems across the country are struggling.  Detroit's 
education system is in crisis. The Detroit Public School District 
consistently falls at the bottom in academic progress among America's large 
urban districts. It has the worst high school graduation rate in the 
country at 25 percent, operates under an emergency financial manager, and 
has a shortage of everything ranging from mandated tutoring services to 
toilet paper.

New Orleans' education system was in a comparable state before Hurricane 
Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region in August 2005.  However, in the 
aftermath of the storm, New Orleans became a laboratory for change by 
necessity. School leaders began to consider anew the direction of the 
city's low-performing public school system, and took action to improve it.

 "Rebuilding Detroit's Schools: A Tale of Two Cities" examined current 
educational challenges in Detroit and reform strategies being used in New 
Orleans. Michigan Radio reporters Jennifer Guerra and Sarah Hulett spent 
months looking at the two school systems and talking with students, 
parents, teachers, school administrators, and experts exploring how lessons 
learned in New Orleans' school reform efforts could benefit Detroit and 
other cities.

Many urban school systems across the country are struggling.  Detroit's 
education system is in crisis. The Detroit Public School District 
consistently falls at the bottom in academic progress among America's large 
urban districts. It has the worst high school graduation rate in the 
country at 25 percent, operates under an emergency financial manager, and 
has a shortage of everything ranging from mandated tutoring services to 
toilet paper.

New Orleans' education system was in a comparable state before Hurricane 
Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region in August 2005.  However, in the 
aftermath of the storm, New Orleans became a laboratory for change by 
necessity. School leaders began to consider anew the direction of the 
city's low-performing public school system, and took action to improve it.

 "Rebuilding Detroit's Schools: A Tale of Two Cities" examined current 
educational challenges in Detroit and reform strategies being used in New 
Orleans. Michigan Radio reporters Jennifer Guerra and Sarah Hulett spent 
months looking at the two school systems and talking with students, 
parents, teachers, school administrators, and experts exploring how lessons 
learned in New Orleans' school reform efforts could benefit Detroit and 
other cities.