History of Courtis Elementary School

Courtis Elementary School was one of 29 schools built under a 1959 millage. Titled by Detroit Public Schools as the “1960s Building Program”. The first of these schools would be Jamieson built in 1960 (Demolished 2024), along some other notable schools including Kettering High School (Demolished 2024), Campbell Elementary, Harris Elementary, and Murphy Jr. High among others. The 1960s saw the last strong push by the District to address enrollment numbers dropping due to white flight. The ultimate goal of these 29 schools was driven by civil rights efforts and the elections of the first Black school board members, leading to the construction of new schools in Black neighborhoods and the hiring of more Black teachers and administrators. This era also saw changes in school architecture, with a move towards modern designs, and efforts towards integration that faced significant resistance. The 1960s schools including Courtis saw modern amenities such as a fully electrical heated and air conditioned buildings. Modern layouts and design with centrally located common areas, and modern glass window designs. At 68,537 sf it is one of the larger schools built in Detroit during the 60s. As was popular in the 60s two central courtyards surround the interior sections of the school. Courtis was known for its success as a school, in the late 1990s it was selected as one of the first schools in Detroit to help bridge the gap between classic education and the new technology era, with the donation of a 32 seat computer lab by Lear Corp. a Detroit Automotive supplier. Under no child left behind Courtis reached AYP (average yearly progress) into the 2000s, while many schools in Detroit failed to match the same progress. Between 2008 and 2009 the community fought to keep the school open, as class sizes increased to over 40 when teacher vacancies were not corrected. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 Courtis was suggested for closure, due to declining enrollment, ultimately closing under the new emergency manger Robert Bobb in 2009. The school Courtis was then almost immediately sold in a controversial selling of the school to Rev. Horace Sheffield III, the father of current mayor of Detroit, Mary Sheffield. Sheffield was criticized in a rumor that he attempted to purchase the school while it was still open. Leading to many believing Courtis closed due to Sheffield. Sheffield would turn the school in the Detroit Cares Alternative School. With his New Destiny Baptist Church as the main church program in the school. As a whole the building was closed and abandoned in 2011, after just under 2 years of ownership of the former Courtis School.