Detroit Schools Tap Student Influencers to Boost Enrollment

The district's new strategy aims to win over prospective students and parents through social media content created by high schoolers.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:09pm

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print of a student's smartphone displaying social media content, repeated in a grid pattern, conceptually representing the district's new strategy to leverage student voices on social media.Detroit schools hope student social media influencers will help boost enrollment by sharing positive stories about their experiences.Today in Detroit

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is launching a new initiative to hire 23 student influencers to create and share positive social media content about their schools. The goal is to attract more families to enroll in the district, which has faced declining enrollment for over 20 years. The district is also planning to hire 10-15 parent and community ambassadors to help counter negative perceptions and amplify enrollment messaging.

Why it matters

Declining enrollment has been a major challenge for the Detroit school district, with factors like a shrinking population, lower birthrates, state emergency management, and competition from charter schools all contributing to the trend. This new strategy of leveraging student voices on social media is an attempt to more effectively reach and influence prospective families.

The details

The student influencers will be paid $250 per month to create and share content on the district's social media platforms as well as their own. One student from each of the district's high schools will be selected for the program. The district is also planning to hire 10-15 parent and community ambassadors to help spread positive messaging about the district's gains in areas like literacy achievement and career/technical education programs.

  • The district unveiled the new influencer program last week.
  • Applications for the student influencer positions have already opened.
  • The district must approve a budget for the new initiatives by June 30.

The players

Sharlonda Buckman

Assistant Superintendent of Family and Community Engagement for the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Monique Bryant

Member of the Detroit school board who advocated for using students to tell the stories of their own schools.

Jessica Byrd

Deputy Executive Marketing Director for the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

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What they’re saying

“Our students are at the center of everything that we do. They have real stories, real accomplishments, real growth.”

— Sharlonda Buckman, Assistant Superintendent of Family and Community Engagement

“I think we have an opportunity to use our students more, and I think we get more bang for our buck than what we're spending now.”

— Monique Bryant, School Board Member

“They bring their audience to our platforms, and that's essentially what we want.”

— Jessica Byrd, Deputy Executive Marketing Director

What’s next

The Detroit school board must approve the district's budget, which includes funding for the new student influencer and community ambassador programs, by June 30.

The takeaway

This new social media-driven strategy represents the Detroit school district's latest attempt to reverse a long-term trend of declining enrollment. By empowering students to share their stories and experiences, the district hopes to change perceptions and attract more families to enroll their children.