DETROIT – Student enrollment in Detroit Public Schools declined overall this year, but the number of high school students increased 14 percent at nine of the district’s 19 high schools.

In total, the district enrolled 1,844 more students in grades 9-12 this year than last year. DPS officials contend it’s a positive sign the DPS’ summer advertising campaign was effective at drawing students away from charters and other schools, The Detroit News reports.

“The good news is, parents of high school students are selecting DPS in greater numbers than in recent years,” district spokesman Steve Wasko told the news site. “In our mind, it’s a very good thing if we manage it correctly.”

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Detroit Federation of Teachers President Keith Johnson, of course, said the district isn’t managing it correctly.

“When you have 45-50 students in the class, it doesn’t create an optimum atmosphere for teaching. You can’t have it bursting at the seams and expect learning,” Johnson said. “Many of our students rely on public transportation. The whole concept of neighborhood high school has been diminished.”

DPS’ Emergency Financial Manager Jack Martin, who was assigned by the state to oversee the Detroit district, said Superintendent Karen Ridgeway is working on the overcrowding.

Most of the enrollment growth was at nine of the district’s 19 high schools, while enrollment at the others was mixed. Two schools in particular – East English Village and Western high schools – accounted for 437 of the new students and are among only three general admissions high schools in the city, the News reports.

Sixteen schools use an application process, examination or other entrance requirements and lost a total of 68 students. Across the district, at all DPS schools, enrollment was down over 900 students, according to the News.

It doesn’t exactly seem like the district is surging back to life.

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Total enrollment this year was 48,923. DPS at one time educated 300,000 kids, according to the News.

But at the very least, the boost at the city’s high schools shows the public school district can compete with charter schools and suburban districts that have absorbed many of the students who have fled DPS in recent years.

It’s a sign that DPS is pushing to improve academics and parents are responding accordingly.

Competition will be key to repairing the city’s dismal education system and it appears as though DPS may finally be getting into fighting shape.