200 private schools have closed in Michigan in the last decade

Private schools in Michigan are disappearing, closing their doors at a rate of about two per month over the last decade. 

Religious schools make up the majority, but nonreligious schools, preschools, Montessori schools and others have closed as well. In all, more than 200 private schools have closed since 2009, according to data from the Michigan’s Center for Educational Performance and Information.

"The school-age population has shrunk and the economics of it have been really difficult," said Brian Broderick, executive director of the Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools, which represents almost 400 Catholic, Lutheran and Christian schools across the state.

More:St. Sebastian Catholic School in Dearborn Heights is closing after 67 years

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Last year, about 112,000 Michigan students attended private schools, a 14% decrease from the 130,000 students in private schools a decade earlier.

State data show that among the private school closures of the past decade are 60 unaffiliated religious schools, 46 Catholic schools, 19 Baptist schools, 16 Missouri Synod Lutheran Schools, 16 Christian schools and 11 Seventh-day Adventist schools. Another 37 nonreligious private schools also have closed.

Grieving process

Private school tuition can range from a few hundred dollars to more than $10,000 per year, depending on how much support the school gets from outside sources such as a church or a foundation.

Operators of schools forced to close tell similar stories of rising costs, fewer resources and fewer students. They also relate the anguish that accompanies the decision to close.

"It took an emotional toll on the congregation," said Pastor Mark Hetzner of St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Eastpointe, which closed its school in 2015. "That was the end of 130 years of Christian education on the east side of Detroit. You're going though a whole grieving process as a congregation."

Hetzner said that the school experienced ups and downs over the years. Enrollment grew in the early 1970s when busing was in force and retreated some in the 1980s. About 15 years ago, the school had a building campaign, raising money to add four classrooms. But later, the Great Recession took a toll on parents' pocketbooks. 

In the later years, it became increasingly difficult to recruit new students because rumors of the school's demise would frighten families away.

Ultimately, the school couldn't sustain itself and was shut down, though it has taken on a new life. Hetzner said the school is now rented by Great Start Readiness Program, a state-sponsored program that prepares 4-year-olds for kindergarten. 

"It's nice to see cars in the parking lot, nice to see signs of life," Hetzner said. "It reminds people that we're still here to serve them."

Other Lutheran schools have continued preschool programs in former elementary schools, said Travis Grulke, superintendent of Lutheran Schools of Michigan, Missouri Synod. They're also seeking new ways to make schools affordable, though they face the same funding questions.

The marketplace for schools is more competitive now than it has ever been, he said.

"Charter schools were a very big hurdle for private schools," Grulke said. "We've also got some great public schools doing great things. Our parochial schools better up their game."

Three-legged stool

Dearborn Christian School operated for about 50 years before finally closing in 2014. Tim DeKruyter was board president at the time and said the decision to close was heart-wrenching.

Growing up in western Michigan, DeKruyter attended Christian Reformed schools and earned a degree from Calvin College in Grand Rapids. The school had thrived along with Dearborn Christian Fellowship, a Christian Reformed church that sponsored it.

In the beginning, about 70% to 80% of students were members of the church, but as the congregation shrank, the school sought to appeal to a larger audience, he said.

"We tried to diversify and open to anyone who is looking for a Christian education," DeKruyter said. "The percentage started switching, to 60/40, then 50/50. Eventually, we had more community people and less church people."

Tuition was about $5,000, but it was charged on a sliding scale based on parents' ability to pay, DeKruyter said. But as families became smaller and the numbers dwindled, the congregation ultimately was forced to close it. 

The church held a ceremony to mark the school's history, even inviting the school's first graduate to attend along with the last graduates. 

"One of the administrators said it's a three-legged stool: church, family and teachers," DeKruyter said. "If any of those legs go, it's history."

But the school building, which carried no debt, does still serve children, DeKruyter said.

"We still have the preschool and it's going gangbusters," he said.

New vision 

In January, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron announced a new vision to strengthen Catholic schools in metro Detroit. It includes a partnership with the University of Notre Dame to create STEM programs and other measures to beef up academic offerings.

The plan calls for making Catholic education available to any family that seeks it, regardless of their financial means. But funding for the plan remains unclear. 

"The creation of the model will be guided by a strategic and collaborative effort with pastors, principals, philanthropists, alumni and archdiocesan faithful," the plan said. "These important constituents will help ensure the effectiveness of a systematic solution to truly make a Catholic education affordable, with the first fruits to be seen during 2020-21 academic year."

Still, the plan didn't come soon enough to save St. Sebastian School in Dearborn Heights, which announced earlier this year that it would close next month, a victim of changing demographics and challenging finances. 

“Closing a parish school is never easy, but after reviewing enrollment and demographic trends, parishes and schools that are nearby, our parish and school finances and other data to assess the viability of the school, I fully believe that this is the best decision for the continuing health of our parish community," the Rev. Walter Ptak wrote in a letter to church members in March.

Catholic dioceses across Michigan have closed dozens of schools in recent decades.

"I think the cost is what's driving it," said Mike Butler, a lawyer who attended Catholic schools from first through 12th grade. "With a smaller population, you can't do anything about that. But it's very tough financially to run one."

Butler understands the affinity people feel for their former schools. He started a Facebook group to preserve  the heritage of Catholic schools in metro Detroit, posting photos of old yearbooks and gatherings. The group now has almost 10,000 followers. But he's the first to admit it will take more than nostalgia to revive Catholic schools.

"Real concrete solutions we don't have, but pious platitudes, we do," he said.

Contact John Wisely: 313-222-6825 or jwisely@freepress.com. On Twitter @jwisely