Michigan's top educator has ordered a financial review of the Hazel Park schools, a step that could lead to a state takeover of the suburban Detroit district.
The Detroit Free Press says state schools Superintendent Mike Flanagan wrote Hazel Park Superintendent James Meisinger that he's concerned the district's deficit will reach $3.3 million by month's end. That's up from $1.5 million at the end of June 2012.
A report is due Monday.
The district has a $41.1 million budget for 2012-13.
Flanagan says the district earlier projected being out of deficit by June 30, 2014, but now says it will take another year. And he says the district estimates a loss of 37 students when recent declines have been much larger.
Meisinger says he's confident of eliminating the deficit.
