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Friday, September 29, 2006
DPS Superintendent William F. Coleman III is traveling to China today as a guest of that country’s government to explore opportunities for developing a formal relationship between the District and two Chinese universities.
The two universities, Shandong University and Anhui Normal University, are interested in forming a relationship with both the Detroit Public Schools and Eastern Michigan University to promote Chinese language education for teachers and students, as well as business owners.
Last summer, a professor at Eastern Michigan University met with senior officials from both Chinese universities to discuss the possibility of strategic partnerships with the District and EMU. A key component of the partnership would be the formation of a Confucius College, a curriculum model in which students, teachers and business persons are taught Chinese as a second language.
In addition, both universities are interested in teaming up with American institutions of higher learning and public school systems to set up bi-lingual programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Many Chinese universities have already begun to establish bi-lingual programs in these areas. These universities would also like to send student teachers to American schools.
Coleman is traveling with the vice president of Eastern Michigan University. Shandong University is picking up the cost of the airfare and all of Coleman’s expenses on this trip.
About the Detroit Public Schools
The Detroit Public Schools, founded in 1842, is one of the nation’s largest public school systems. Detroit Public Schools is a school district of choice and is open to children who live outside the city. The District offers numerous competitive academic and career technical programs.
Among these world-class programs are the Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural School, Michigan’s only public school of its kind; Davis Aerospace, one of few college prep high schools in the country where students can obtain a pilot’s license; the Detroit School of the Arts, a multiple award winning performing arts high school; and Crockett Technical High School, a digital technology high school.
For more information about the District, visit our website at www.detroitk12.org.
