Contents of this issue:
- Thirteen districts have budget surpluses
- Districts could save money with private energy consultant
- Parents, MDE concerned about restraining special needs students
- Northville considers competitive contracting
- Avondale moves elections to November
- District bans bags in response to bomb threats
- Win an iPod
THIRTEEN DISTRICTS HAVE BUDGET SURPLUSES
LANSING, Mich. — While many school districts in Michigan have
been unable to control spending, 13 districts are reporting
budget surpluses, according to the Michigan Information &
Research Service, a Lansing based newsletter.
Verona, Colfax, Arvon, Sigel, Grant, Mackinac Island, Berlin,
Easton, Bois Blanc Pines, Church and Bloomfield Township schools
all have fund balances ranging from 93 to 199 percent. Common
features among the districts are their small size and stable
enrollment, according to MIRS.
SOURCE:
MIRS Capitol Capsule, "Thirteen Schools With Significant Cash
Balances," Dec. 4, 2006 (subscription only)
https://mirsnews.com/capsule.php?gid=630#10002
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Ewen-Trout Creek Schools uncovers
deficit," Dec. 5, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8104
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Budgets: A Crisis of
Management, Not Finance," Feb. 11, 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6980
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Six Habits of Fiscally
Responsible Public School Districts," Dec. 3, 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4891
DISTRICTS COULD SAVE MONEY WITH PRIVATE ENERGY CONSULTANT
ITHACA, Mich. — Ithaca Public Schools could save up to $40,000 in
energy costs if other Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service
District schools decide to join it in an energy consortium headed
by a private consultant, according to The Saginaw News.
IPS already has voted to join the consortium, while the other
districts are planning to vote this month. The districts would
collectively hire an "energy manager" from Energy Education Inc.
of Wichita Falls, Texas, to analyze and make suggestions for
reducing energy usage in each of the districts' buildings. Energy
Education Inc. told the schools it could save them $3.9 million
total over seven years, according to The News.
"There won't be significant savings to begin with because of
start-up costs, but over the course of a year, there will be,"
Superintendent Charles Schnetzler told The News.
Forty districts in Michigan and 800 nationwide are cooperating
with Energy Education Inc., The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Saginaw News, "Ithaca schools join energy consortium,"
Dec. 6, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-21/1165415212317080.xml&coll=9
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Merrill schools move to alternative
fuel," Nov. 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8059
Michigan Education Digest, "Private firm helps Battle Creek
schools cut energy costs," July 19, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7817
Michigan Education Digest, "Walled Lake implements program to
save on energy," Nov. 1, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7417
PARENTS, MDE CONCERNED ABOUT RESTRAINING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
LANSING, Mich. — The treatment of combative special education
students is under the scrutiny of both parents and the Michigan
Department of Education, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Two special education students died in 2003 while being
restrained by staff members, causing the MDE to reconsider its
policy on student seclusion and restraints. The plan under
consideration would restrict the use of seclusion and restraints
to emergency situations, ban the use of mechanical or chemical
restraints, set time limits on seclusions, require training for
school employees who may need to restrain or seclude students, as
well as require stricter documentation of incidents where
restraints or seclusion needed to be used, according to the Free
Press.
The parents of the deceased children, as well as special-education advocates, are fighting for the complete elimination of
these practices.
"Seclusion and restraint are cruel, inhumane and degrading
practices. I don't think they belong in educational settings,"
State Board of Education member Elizabeth Bauer told the Free
Press.
Blu Hintz of Midland is raising her grandson, Dustin, who has a
form of Autism and spina bifida. She believes that restraint and
seclusion are necessary to keep special education students in
school.
"If children like Dustin aren't restrained, they have no other
place to go," Hintz told the Free Press. "They would end up in an
institution."
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "A way to safely restrain students?"
Dec. 8, 2006
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/NEWS06/612080435
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Parents concerned about padded room,"
Oct. 3, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7959
Michigan Education Digest, "Punishment box removed from Marshall
school," May 16, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7704
NORTHVILLE CONSIDERS COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING
NORTHVILLE, Mich. — Northville Public Schools has decided to look
into competitively contracting for some, or all, of its non-instructional services, according to the Northville Record.
It is too early in the process to estimate savings, but
Northville is looking into contracting for its custodial,
maintenance, food service and transportation services, so it can
maintain current programs and staff, according to the Record.
"The district wants to maintain progress and class size and our
good teachers," David Bolitho, Northville assistant
superintendent for administrative services, told the Record.
Bolitho said districts like Garden City, which has reported it
will save $800,000 to $1 million, show privatization works,
according to the Record.
Tom White, executive director of the Michigan School Business
Officials, encourages members to consider competitive
contracting.
"Whether you like it or not, or whether you do it or not, you
have to evaluate the option," he told the Record.
SOURCE:
Northville Record, "School district investigates privatization
for cost-savings," Dec. 7, 2006
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/NEWS12/612070762/1029
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Beyond brooms, burgers and buses,"
Nov. 21, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8032
Michigan Education Digest, "Oakland County schools save money
with competitive contracting," Oct. 3, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7959
Michigan Education Report, "Competitive contracting grows despite
myths," Sept. 6, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7900
AVONDALE MOVES ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Starting next year, the Avondale School
District will save about $30,000 a year by holding its elections
in November of odd-numbered years, according to The Detroit News.
"We were told by going to November elections that our costs would
be virtually nothing," Avondale Board of Education President
Stephen Sucher told The News.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Avondale schools set for odd-year voting,"
Dec. 7, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/SCHOOLS/612070356/1009/METRO02
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Rochester moves school board
elections, lengthens terms," Nov. 14, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8067
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Secret Ballot?" May 22, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7708
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Voter's Checklist for
School Elections," April 28, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7688
DISTRICT BANS BAGS IN RESPONSE TO BOMB THREATS
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. — Lakeview High School has banned purses
and backpacks from classrooms in response to several bomb threats
it has received this school year, according to The Detroit News.
Purses and backpacks must be kept in lockers during the school
day, which the district says will allow police to search the
building more quickly when a bomb threat is received. The school
had four such incidents in September and October, including one
that forced an evacuation, The News reported.
"The kids really know it's an issue with safety," Principal Bob
DuBois told The News. "They recognize the need. Are they happy
about? No, but they're used to it."
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "School tells girls to bag the purses,"
Dec. 11, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061211/SCHOOLS/612110333/1026
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "School safety drill angers parents,"
Nov. 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8059
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Protection: A Growing
Industry Could Enhance School Safety," Nov. 16, 1998
https://www.mackinac.org/802
WIN AN IPOD
MIDLAND, Mich. — Michigan Education Report is offering readers a
chance to win an iPod when they comment on articles in its Winter
2006 issue. Comments can be made via e-mail about stories on
alternative teacher certification, successful public school
reform and Michigan's cap on charter public schools. Please visit
www.educationreport.org for more information.
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 150,000 published by the Mackinac Center
for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.