Detroit Public Schools
Academic, Operational & Administrative Performance Assessment (2013–2015)
Executive Summary
RBG led the emergency financial and operational turnaround of Detroit Public Schools, restoring governance, stabilizing operations, and delivering large-scale infrastructure, financial, and performance improvements.
The Challenge
Detroit Public Schools was in a state of systemic crisis following decades of financial mismanagement, operational inefficiency, and governance failures. The district faced:
A projected $305.8M deficit
Federal High-Risk designation by the U.S. Department of Education
Deteriorating facilities across dozens of schools
Fragmented real estate, transportation, security, and operations functions
Severe public trust, performance, and compliance issues
The scale of the crisis required not only financial stabilization, but a full operational and organizational transformation.
Our Role
RBG’s President & CEO, Robert C. Bobb, was appointed Emergency Financial Manager of Detroit Public Schools by the Governor of Michigan. RBG led a multi-year, district-wide turnaround effort that included:
Designing and executing a district-wide financial and operational recovery strategy
Creating and managing the DPS Real Estate Group overseeing:
10+ million sq ft of facilities
400+ acres of land
Asset dispositions, restructuring, and redevelopment
Leading a $500.5M bond program funding 23 major capital projects and modernization of 18 schools
Implementing managed competition initiatives across:
Transportation
Security
Facilities management
Leading investigations into fraud, corruption, and operational failures
Overhauling:
Governance processes
Public safety operations
Technology systems
Transportation strategy
Special Education services
RBG also directly managed daily district operations across multiple critical functions while rebuilding leadership, controls, and accountability systems.
The Outcome
The engagement produced one of the most comprehensive public-sector turnarounds in the country:
DPS was removed from Federal High-Risk status
$305.8M deficit stabilized and reversed
$500.5M bond program executed on time and on budget
Over $10M in real estate revenue generated
Over 3 million sq ft of property successfully disposed
Hundreds of millions in savings created, including:
$4M annual security savings
$8M annual transportation savings
$14.8M annual maintenance savings
$4.8M from asset sales
Workforce reduction of 32%
More than 600 local workers employed across projects
Special Education operations restructured, generating $53M in savings over two years while achieving unprecedented compliance levels
Most importantly, RBG restored governance, financial credibility, operational control, and public trust to one of the most complex school systems in the United States.
Capabilities Applied
Turnaround & Restructuring
Crisis & Emergency Management
Real Estate & Asset Management
Financial & Budgeting Consulting
Change Management
Education Systems Transformation
The Robert Bobb Group
Public-Sector Advisory for Complex Projects and High-Risk Programs