Detroit Public Schools is expected to run out of money to pay teachers by April 8 if the state does not soon pump an additional $50 million into the debt-plagued district, DPS' new manager told state lawmakers Wednesday.

"This is an urgent matter for us," said retired bankruptcy judge Steven Rhodes, who last week was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to lead DPS, the state's largest school district. "We need you to help keep the schools open past April 8."

Rhodes made the remarks to the House Appropriations Committee, which is considering a $715 million rescue package for DPS. While the legislature tackles the larger rescue package, Gov. Rick Snyder has requested $50 million to help DPS remain solvent through the end of the current school year.

The $715 million package would pay off the district's long-term debt, estimated at $515 million, and use the remaining $200 million to create a new, debt-free Detroit Community School district. As of now, the district is spending about $1,100 per student on debt service annually, an expense that is taking dollars away from the classroom.

"There is no plan B," Rhodes said later, when asked by reporters whether other options exist to keep DPS afloat. If schools were allowed to "go dark," and children had to miss school days because of legislative inaction, it would be "a nightmare," he said.

"The basic truth about children and school is every day you lose is a day you never get back," he said. "We can't have that. We have a constitutional and a moral obligation to educate our kids."

During his testimony, Rhodes told lawmakers that DPS, except for its debt, is financially sustainable, pointing out that in recent years, the district has closed over 150 schools and shed more than 10,000 jobs. Not counting the district's debt, DPS would actually have a $13 million surplus this year, he said.

Rhodes later clarified that the $13 million surplus doesn't take into account the district's annual payments to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS). Rhodes wasn't immediately sure what the surplus would be if those payments were accounted for.

But, Rhodes added: "I don't want to discount that $13 million because it doesn't include MPSERS. It represents a very strong and so far effective attempt by the district, and I have to say its previous emergency managers, to right size the central office and to right size, as far as it has gone, our school inventory."

Snyder's office, in a statement issued in October, has said a legislative solution is preferable way to fix DPS. A financial collapse could ultimately cost "billions of dollars," a sum the state would largely be constitutionally responsible to cover, Bridge Magazine has reported.

Rhodes, who was accompanied by newly appointed interim superintendent Alycia Meriweather, expressed support for an appointed commission that would oversee the opening and closing of both traditional and charter schools. Rhodes said such a body -- opposed by the charter school community and known as the Detroit Education Commission -- could "rationalize the allocation of school buildings around the district."

"The hodgepodge that we have now is certainly not the allocation you would have if you started an allocation from scratch," he said.

During their testimony, Rhodes and Meriweather were questioned by lawmakers about whether breaking up DPS - and sending students to neighboring districts - is a possibility, and whether the district has plans to boost parental involvement. They also discussed proposed reforms, such as moving the district to a balanced calendar, sometimes likened to year-round school, and the creation of an A-F letter grading system for schools.

Rhodes said that if DPS were dissolved it would be difficult to find available seats for the district's 46,000 or so students at neighboring districts. He also said breaking the district into smaller pieces could be expensive, because such an approach might demand additional administrative expenses, such as a central office staff and school board for each district.

He didn't completely discount that approach, but said a "major study" would first be needed to see whether such a move would be "practical."

On whether an A-F letter grading system should be developed, Meriweather didn't say outright that she's opposed to such a system. She said it's important, though, that the criteria used to determine a school's grade are based on sound research and are appropriate and fair.

Later, in an interview with reporters, Rhodes said it's important that any component of the legislation focusing on student learning be "based to the extent possible on evidence based inclusion about what works for academics and are focused on the ultimate goal which is the best possible education we can give these kids."

Brian McVicar covers education for MLive. Email him at bmcvicar@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter