Detroit Schools celebrate, seek volunteer readers

DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Public Schools is looking for more volunteer readers.

Reading Corps Week in Detroit begins Monday and runs through Friday. The district is planning a rally and training Saturday at Renaissance High School as part of its Reading Corps program.

Education, city and business leaders who have served as reading tutors will participate in the rally. Nearly 900 people have volunteered to help tutor Detroit students as part of the program.

New volunteers will be trained at the rally.

The district also is celebrating improved student performance on the 2012 Michigan Education Assessment Program tests. The percentages of proficient and advanced scores in 17 of 18 assessments were higher last year than in 2011.

The largest Detroit increase was 11.3 percent on the eighth grade reading test.