Teachers' Union Dispute Casts Doubt on Detroit Alternative Schools

A continuing dispute between the local teachers’ union and school administrators has some education officials in Detroit worried that several alternative schools that opened in August to lure high school dropouts back to the classroom will be forced to close.

The “last chance” schools, which are being operated by community organizations under contract with the Detroit district, have been serving some 1,500 16- to 20-year-olds who had dropped out of one of the city’s high schools.

Eleven such schools have been operating since August, up from the two that were run by outside vendors on behalf of the district during the 2005-06 academic year, according to Hildred Pepper, the chief contracting...