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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST March 4, 2008

Tue., March 4, 2008
Contents of this issue:
  • Belding teachers union, district battle over health insurance
  • Otsego Schools anticipate $1 million budget deficit
  • Student threatens principal with BB gun
  • Clawson schools survey community
  • Lansing teachers may have to re-apply for their jobs
  • Comment and win an iPod
BELDING TEACHERS UNION, DISTRICT BATTLE OVER HEALTH INSURANCE
BELDING, Mich. — Contract negotiations for Belding teachers continue to stall over raises and health insurance contributions, according to the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.

The teachers and school board recently met through a state mediator, but the district's proposed contract was immediately rejected by the union. The proposal included a 2 percent pay increase for two years and increased co-pays under the Michigan Education Special Services Association to $10/$20 from $5/$10. The district would still continue to pay 100 percent of the MESSA premiums, the Sentinel-Standard reported. MESSA is a third-party administrator affiliated with the Michigan Education Association school employees union that outsources insurance underwriting and then sells the policies to school districts.

"That shift alone would save the district $144,000," Belding Superintendent Charles Barker told the Sentinel-Standard. "The savings in turn would have helped with an increase in (the teachers') pay. It was misrepresented that the drug card would consume everyone's entire pay increase and that's simply not true."

Barker also noted that the contract proposal was better than any of the contract agreements with three other employee groups, including bus drivers, support staff and administrators, according to the Sentinel-Standard.

The Belding union's bargaining team spokeswoman Lynn Mason said she understands the many issues facing the district, including decreasing enrollment, but says that should not have any bearing on the teachers contract.

"I understand the uncertainties and the various costs of running a district and inflation, but we have to go at it from the viewpoint of staff, people who work closest to the children," Mason, a teacher at Belding Middle School, told the Sentinel-Standard. "The most important resource we believe is our members and their working conditions which ultimately are students' learning conditions."

Negotiations will be stalled until another state mediator is available in April, the Sentinel-Standard reported.

SOURCE:
Ionia Sentinel-Standard, "BAS contract talks still stalled," Feb. 28, 2008
http://www.sentinel-standard.com/articles/2008/02/29/news/04news.txt

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Employee Salaries and Benefits," in "A Collective Bargaining Primer," Feb. 28, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8266

OTSEGO SCHOOLS ANTICIPATE $1 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT
OTSEGO, Mich. — The Otsego Public Schools are anticipating a budget deficit of $1 million due largely to a combination of decreasing enrollment and a rise in benefit costs, according to The Plainwell & Otsego Union Enterprise.

Last year, the district had a balanced budget because of an enrollment increase. This year, however, the number enrolling in the district has decreased by 25 students, including 20 who left the district in the last two weeks, Superintendent Denny Patzer told The Union Enterprise. District officials are now including a loss of $100,000 in budget projections to account for the fact that fewer students are enrolling.

The district is also struggling with increases in employee benefit costs, including an increase in retirement contributions and federal income tax. Insurance costs are expected to increase by 10 percent, although Patzer says there is a chance the increase will be less extreme, The Union Enterprise reported.

"One (insurance provider) told us that was what it was going to be," Patzer told The Union Enterprise. "But I'm starting to hear that the increase could be half that. Usually at the end of April, MESSA (Michigan Education Special Services Association) will put information out (about what it expects)."

The district is looking at the possibility of reducing staff and cutting programs. The district's fund balance is currently $4.08 million, or 22 percent of operating expenses. However, the district is expecting to spend $250,000 before the end of the school year.

SOURCE:
The Plainwell & Otsego Union Enterprise, "Budget: Deficit looms for Otsego schools," Feb. 28, 2008
http://www.allegannews.com/articles/2008/02/28/ue_news/3.txt

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Pupil Counts," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8579

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Foundation Allowance: General Education," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8580

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School District Budgeting," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8560

Michigan School Money Database, "Otsego Public Schools: Revenues and Expenditures, 2005-2006, 2004-2005"
http://www.mackinac.org/depts/epi/ fiscal.aspx?Year1=2005-6&DCode1=03020&Year2=2004-5&DCode2=03020

STUDENT THREATENS PRINCIPAL WITH BB GUN
DETROIT — A 12-year old boy is in custody after allegedly threatening his former elementary school principal with a BB gun, according to WDIV Channel 4 in Detroit.

Authorities say the boy transferred out of Brewer Elementary School due to behavior problems, but returned with a BB gun, cursed at teachers and then threatened the principal. Detroit Public Schools is working with police to determine appropriate disciplinary or legal action, WDIV reported.

SOURCE:
WDIV Channel 4, "Police: 12-Year-Old Threatens Principal with BB Gun," Feb. 25, 2008
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/15407070/detail.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "The three P's of school safety: parents, prevention, and police," Nov. 1, 2001
http://www.educationreport.org/3134

CLAWSON SCHOOLS SURVEY COMMUNITY
CLAWSON, Mich. — The Clawson school board will send surveys to the 5,000 households in the community asking them to evaluate district performance and programs, including its schools of choice policy, according to the Royal Oak Mirror.

The survey is 28 questions long and will be sent to every household, even those without school-age children. In addition to collecting general perceptions of the district, the school board is looking for insight into the possibility of support for a new sinking fund millage. The district, which currently has an enrollment of 1,800 students, is seeking community opinions on continuing schools of choice. Clawson currently accepts an unlimited number of K-12 students within Oakland County and has accepted about 100 students a year for three years, the Mirror reported.

"We're like the 'Three Little Bears.' We want to be just right (in size)," School Board President Mike Bosnic told the Mirror, while also saying the district may be getting a little too big.

The survey cost the district about $1,200 for printing and postage, according to the Mirror.

SOURCE:
Royal Oak Mirror, "How are we doing? School board asks residents," March 2, 2008
http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/ NEWS18/803020312/1035

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Conclusion: Competition Is Improving Public Schools for Michigan Children," July 24, 2000
http://www.mackinac.org/2962

LANSING TEACHERS MAY HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR THEIR JOBS
LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Community Schools teachers working in schools undergoing restructuring may have to reapply for their jobs, according to the Lansing State Journal.

Lansing Schools Education Association President Jerry Swartz said the contract language only applies to schools that receive federal funding. Schools begin a restructuring process after failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress for four years, as mandated under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the State Journal reported.

Lansing Superintendent T.C. Wallace recently announced a proposal to lay off all teachers in Eastern and Everett high schools and have them reapply for positions. No teacher will actually lose their job, or pay, but may be reassigned. The reapplication process will allow principals to select teachers and will allow teachers to choose where they want to work and what they want to teach, if they are qualified in more than one subject, according to the State Journal.

Swartz argues that the contract language was only included for elementary schools and that the proposal to interview all teachers would be unmanageable.

"It's impossible with the current staffing," Swartz told the State Journal. "The contract clearly details the interview process. It was never designed for this sort of wholesale reorganization."

Robert Taylor of the state Teacher Tenure Commission says such restructuring plans are entirely legal.

"They're entitled to be continuously employed at the same rate of pay they have been all along," Taylor told the State Journal. "The tenure act doesn't guarantee any teacher to any position."

SOURCE:
Lansing State Journal, "Lansing teachers face scenario rare in state," March 1, 2008
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/NEWS01/ 803010334/1006/news05

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "No Child Left Behind law demands 'adequate yearly progress' and offers school choice options for parents," Nov. 17, 2002
http://www.educationreport.org/4846

COMMENT AND WIN AN IPOD
MIDLAND, Mich. — Go to
http://forum.educationreport.org and post a comment for a chance to win one of three iPods.

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education Report (http://www.educationreport.org), a quarterly newspaper published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy (http://www.mackinac.org), a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.

Contact Managing Editor Sarah Grether at
mailto:med@educationreport.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to
http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=MED

Related Topics: Education
Michigan Education Daily
Thu., July 10, 2008
"The Detroit Public Schools has filed a lawsuit against one of its former department managers for allegedly issuing more than $45 million in unauthorized contracts." >>
Thu., July 10, 2008
"Grand Valley State University has declined to renew the charter of Kalamazoo's Advantage Academy." >>
Thu., July 10, 2008
"The state Court of Appeals ruled that state officials have been shortchanging school districts by not compensating them for changes in reporting requirements." >>
Thu., July 10, 2008
"A student from Wayland Union High School was expelled for her alleged role in a videotaped attack of a freshman student." >>
Thu., July 10, 2008
"Dozens of Plainwell elementary school students who have trouble reading will come to school an hour early next fall." >>
Wed., July 2, 2008
"West Ottawa Public Schools is proceeding with its first tenure hearing in hopes of firing a teacher." >>
Tue., July 1, 2008
"A Mesick man was reportedly "baffled" by the lack of transparency during teacher contract ratification procedures." >>
Tue., July 1, 2008
"Northville school support staff prevented the contracting of custodial, transportation and food services by accepting $1.2 million in concessions." >>
Tue., July 1, 2008
"The Fruitport Community Schools have bucked the trend of district financial troubles, due largely to the number of schools of choice students it receives each year." >>
Tue., July 1, 2008
“Detroit Public Schools will eliminate 1,700 jobs to stave off a $408 million budget deficit.” >>
Fri., June 27, 2008
Administrators in the Lawton Community Schools will share in the savings after agreeing to switch to a less expensive insurance. >>
Fri., June 27, 2008
Petoskey schools has extended its contract with Chartwells after saving $150,000 in its food service program. >>
Fri., June 27, 2008
Detroit Public Schools could cut 1,400 staff members in an attempt to solve a $408 million overspending issue in the fiscal 2009 budget. >>
Fri., June 27, 2008
Swan Valley schools is facing a $33,000 budget hole, thanks in part to a 17.5 percent increase in union insurance costs. >>
Wed., June 11, 2008
Mackinac Center hosting forum on teacher quality >>
Wed., June 11, 2008
Many minority students don't graduate from high school >>
Wed., June 11, 2008
Detroit school receives grant for drug testing >>
Wed., June 11, 2008
Grand Rapids high schools adjust attendance policies >>
Fri., May 23, 2008
30 Michigan high schools on Newsweek’s top school list >>
Mon., May 19, 2008
Detroit Schools $45 million in debt, may see another state takeover >>
Mon., May 19, 2008
Tuition Tax Credit program signed into law in Georgia >>
Fri., May 16, 2008
Michigan students struggle to pass Algebra I >>
Fri., May 16, 2008
Oak Park chief of staff purchases personal shower, gym on school property >>
Fri., May 16, 2008
Dearborn charters struggle to keep up on state tests >>
Tue., May 13, 2008
Flint Schools pink slip another 28 employees >>
Tue., May 13, 2008
Grand Rapids Schools contract for custodial services. >>
Tue., May 6, 2008
Pinckney Community Schools is closing an elementary school >>
User Comments
rlboogren
This article presents excellent information. As the parent of a child with a disability I advocate for my son. Currently, there is no one to speak for all the children with disabilities in Michigan. There is no transparency of government. The position of State Superintendent is a dictatorship with the power to make all the decisions. As a parent, I cannot voice my concerns by voting. >>
Ferndale Eagle
Ferndale High School in Ferndale, Michigan succeeded in correcting the mistaken reporting of the Johns Hopkins University report that had included it as a "dropout factory" with poor "promoting power." The University researchers have acknowledged that Ferndale High School does not belong in this category and removed the school from the list because of the school district's high outward mobility (more students move out than move in during high school.). The high school has a three-year promoting power ration of 77% rather than the 50% reported in the Associated Press in October 2007, with the Class of 2006 having a 91% promoting power. Please visit Johns Hopkins' website for more clarification to see the "Schools Removed from the List of Weak Promoting Power High Schools: http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/images/Removed_from_List_5_14_08.pdf .

Also, visit www.ferndaleschools.org for info about the school district. >>
From Mackinac Blog
So you're not going to admit an anti-MESSA bias?

*wink* >>
From Mackinac Blog
The links to the sources used in MED are so that people can read the entire article. MED provides a summary of what the media reports. A "further reading" is then included for those readers who wish to read more on a related topic. >>
From Mackinac Blog
And you don't simply "report" stories in the Education Digest. For example, in this story in question you link directly to a story where MESSA's accused of stonewalling, further bolstering the bias and claim that MESSA is doing something wrong here.

Your coyness is patronizing. >>
From Mackinac Blog
Michigan Education Digest is just that, a digest, which means it is a compilation of what is reported by other media. You may want to contact the Paw Paw newspaper and give them a copy of the questionnaire so they can do a follow-up story on the issue. Please keep us updated on that matter.
- Ed. >>
From Mackinac Blog
What the news article on MESSA conveniently leaves out is the intrusive nature of the questionnaire sent out in the Paw Paw district. It asks for--under threat of not being covered if you don't comply--your name, ss number, all family details, and a specific 14-question section on your medical history.

And there's a 3-page lawyer note attached to the survey that essentially says the company has the right to share this info with anyone they choose to do so.

Where's the ACLU when you need them?

It's a disgrace that a site like this would be so in bed with corporate interests that it would gladly back such an invasion of personal privacy.

And before you ask, yes I have indeed seen the survey. I have a copy of it. Why doesn't your site post THAT? >>
From Mackinac Blog
The article in the Kalamazoo Gazette that you linked to was incredibly biased in its presentation of the KRESA tax. Here's my reaction on our blog:


MORE LIES FROM THE RAG

Readers of the Kalamazoo Gazette have long been accustomed to its shilling for just about every proposed tax hike. In the world view of the Gazette, local governments and school districts are always strapped for cash, mainly because those stingy taxpayers are reluctant to fork over more of their wealth.

Even though readers are aware of this pro-tax bias, two articles in the March 16 paper are simply astonishing in their reckless disregard for the truth. The articles are supposed to be an analysis of how the KRESA enhancement tax has impacted funding for Kalamazoo County's nine local school districts. Remember, we are in the third, and last, year of the KRESA tax, passed by voters in 2005.

So what school funding time period does the articles examine? Get this: the two years before the tax was enacted, plus only the first two years after the tax was enacted. This is equivalent of saying you are going to write a history of the 20th Century, and then writing about the period from 1850 to 1950. Astonishing.

The two years before the tax was enacted were flat funding years for Michigan schools. The per-pupil grant from the state stayed the same for those two years at $6626 per pupil. That was the whole reason why the KRESA "enhancement" millage was put on the ballot by local schools in 2005.

So if you include these two depressed years, prior to the KRESA tax, into an analysis of the KRESA tax revenue increase, of course you're going to end up with a smaller increase of revenue.

Think that's the end of the articles' duplicity? Wrong. "On the revenue side, the Gazette found, increases in the state's per-pupil allocations have been undercut by enrollment declines. On the expense side, districts have faced sharp cost increases, most notably in the mandatory contribution to the school employees' retirement fund."

Yes, some school districts have had their revenue cut because their enrollment has dropped. Welcome to the real world. But guess what. If you have few students to teach, you should have fewer expenses in teaching them! What a concept! Unless, of course, you are the typical government bureaucrat who resists every effort to cut costs and cut unneeded personnel.

And the mandatory contribution to the school employees' retirement fund? We find out, buried later in the article, that the state of Michigan will actually cut what school districts have to pay into the retirement fund next year. Whoops, never mind.

"But fiscal analysts said the rate could increase to more than 20 percent in the near future," wails the article. Don't you love this? Tax apologists present these kinds of increases in retirement costs as something that is beyond our control; an act of God, like a meteor falling out of the sky.

But retirement costs are not beyond our control. If they go up, it's because public officials without a backbone cave in to the public sector unions and their demands for more compensation. Retirement costs do not have to go up--if we have public officials who are willing to grapple with the issue and get it under control

And we haven't even discussed the huge elephant in the room, the unnecessary costs that every school district pays for gold-plated MESSA health insurance.

That's the main frustrating thing about the entire argument by the KRESA tax pushers--who say basically that our costs keep going up, and there's nothing we can do about it, and that's why we have to raid your wallets. But taxpayers are providing plenty of funding for public schools. Now it's time for them to stop whining, and start producing.

--Ray Wilson
Kal. Co. Taxpayers Assoc.
http://www.kaltax.org
stoptaxes@kaltax.org >>
From Mackinac Blog
So are you trying to claim that none of the districts in the Washtenaw ISD currently have MESSA?

Seems that if things were so wonderful with the slush fund, they wouldn't be looking for alternatives. >>
From Mackinac Blog
So Wash is looking into pooling with 10 districts to create a cute mini-pool of savings? Lol...had they been in MESSA they could have been in a much larger pool than that.

lol... >>