Contents of this issue:
- Editorial: Newspaper supports Michigan waiver legislation
- Kansas Supreme Court orders school funding increase
- Michigan public universities may boost tuition following aid cuts
- Detroit cardinal criticized over Roman Catholic school closings
EDITORIAL: NEWSPAPER SUPPORTS MICHIGAN WAIVER LEGISLATION
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - An editorial in The Grand Rapids Press this
weekend endorsed proposed legislation that would allow a Michigan
school district to apply for waivers exempting it from nearly any part
of the Michigan school code or School Aid Act if the district committed
to higher student achievement.
Two bills, approved in the House, would allow districts to free
themselves from regulations that have hampered student achievement in
the past, according to The Press. Under the law, detailed The Press,
"Districts would have to identify the specific rules they want to
forgo, and sign a contract agreeing to improve performance as measured
by standardized tests and other criteria."
Districts wouldn't be allowed to obtain waivers for issues dealing with
student safety, health or teacher certification. The effective period
for the waivers could last for up to five years, while "the Education
Department would have to check performance against the agreed
benchmarks, and could yank the waiver any time if a district isn't
measuring up," reported The Press. "The end result should be better
education for youngsters. State leaders shouldn't need advanced degrees
to see the good in that."
SOURCES:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Flexibility, accountability," June 20, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-1/111927878216010.xml
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Rally for the Classroom, Not the
Budget Process," June 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/7141
Michigan Education Report, "After School 'Diapers/Formula' Rule
Wins 'Outrageous Regulation' Contest," Spring 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/4378
KANSAS SUPREME COURT ORDERS SCHOOL FUNDING INCREASE
DETROIT - The Kansas Supreme Court ordered the state to increase
education funding, prompting Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to call a special
legislative session for June 22 to find a solution, reported The
Detroit News.
The court had previously put on hold a decision by a lower court judge
that last year ordered the state to shut down all public schools until
legislators fixed Kansas' school funding system. Still, last week's
decision by the state Supreme Court requires that the state increase
funding for public schools by $285 million, or about 10 percent.
Legislators had supported a plan to increase funding by 5 percent, or
$142 million.
Some Kansas lawmakers indicated a willingness to defy the court order
to maintain control over school policy. "I think it's high time we
confronted the court," said state Rep. Frank Miller, according to The
News. "One thing we could do is just refuse to obey." When asked what
the repercussions would be for defying the court's orders, state Senate
Majority Leader Derek Schmidt reportedly said, "I would just as soon
not learn the answer to that question."
SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "Legal woes may shut down Kansas schools,"
June 16, 2005
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KANSAS_SCHOOL_CRISIS?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=SOUTHEAST&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding: Lack of Money or
Lack of Money Management?" August 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3683
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Finance Reform Lessons from
Michigan," October 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3802
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Will More Money Improve Student
Performance?" June 1998
https://www.mackinac.org/527
MICHIGAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES MAY BOOST TUITION FOLLOWING AID CUTS
DETROIT - Many Michigan public colleges and universities plan to
increase tuition this fall in light of cuts or small increases in state
aid, according to The Detroit News.
State colleges and universities have experienced reductions in state
aid for the past three years - the first such occurrence in the state
in a quarter century, reported The News. Projections of aid cuts or
small aid increases from the Legislature may lead to tuition hikes this
year. "If appropriations are not forthcoming from the Legislature,
which they don't appear to be, institutions will have to raise their
tuition substantially," said University of Michigan associate professor
Steve DesJardins, according to The News.
Average annual tuition at Michigan colleges increased 11 percent during
the last academic year, compared with a 10.5 percent average increase
nationwide. Several state universities now offer financial incentives
to encourage students to take more credits per semester and graduate in
four years in an effort to reduce the financial strain on students, The
News reported.
SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "State colleges to boost tuition," June 15, 2005
https://www.detroitnews.com/2005/schools/0506/17/A01-216526.htm
Michigan Privatization Report, "Bringing the Market to the Ivory
Tower," Winter 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6914
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Going Broke by Degree,"
September 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6805
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Privatize the University of
Michigan," March 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6313
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Prepaid Tuition Programs
Can Help Make College Affordable," September 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3685
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Competition Among Professors Would
Help Parents Afford College," August 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/2105
DETROIT CARDINAL CRITICIZED OVER ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL CLOSINGS
DETROIT - Detroit Cardinal Adam Maida is receiving criticism after
announcing the closure of 18 Roman Catholic schools in the Detroit
metro area, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton reportedly said the school
closings represent the abandonment of urban residents. "Where would you
evangelize if not in the city of Detroit? If we were really serious, we
would be ... opening up schools," Gumbleton told the Free Press.
Activists plan to protest the school closings outside a $250-per-plate
fundraising dinner for the Sacred Heart Major Seminary at the Dearborn
Ritz-Carlton, which will feature guest speaker Bill Cosby. Letters from
protest organizers called on activists to denounce the archdiocese's
"desertion of mission," reported the Free Press.
Cardinal Maida defended his actions, saying that it is necessary to
move some schools to the suburbs to follow population migrations. Maida
announced last week a fundraising drive to obtain $30 million to build
a Catholic academy in northern Macomb County. "Today, because of the
booming suburbs, we have to be where the people are," Maida said,
according to the Free Press.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Maida to face school critics at meeting,"
June 15, 2005
https://www.freep.com/news/education/catholic15e_20050615.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Catholic Schools and the Common
Good," June 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/7129
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 130,000 published by the Mackinac Center
for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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