Contents of this issue:
- Experts support private sector involvement in public education
- Kelloggsville chief looks to reform graduation requirements
- Ann Arbor Schools develop advertising plan
- Muskegon Schools develop Spanish-English immersion program
- Private school might be forced out of building
- Comment and win an iPod
EXPERTS SUPPORT PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Participants in a forum presented by the
Education Policy Initiative at the University of Michigan's
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy discussed the future of
education and argued for innovation driven by the private
sector, according to The Ann Arbor News.
The panel included Deborah Loewenberg Ball, the dean of U of M's
school of education; Sanford Weill, chairman emeritus of
Citigroup, Inc.; JD Hoye, President of National Academy
Foundation; Frederick Hess, a resident scholar and director of
education policy studies for the American Enterprise Institute;
and Michael Flanagan, the state superintendent of public
instruction, The News reported.
"What we need to do is to reframe (the education system) ... to
begin to produce what we think schools should be producing,"
Hoye said, according to The News.
The speakers said that schools need to use the private sector to
help push students to the level companies will need them to
perform at to be successful. This could mean offering
internships where students learn skills directly. Panel members
also argued the American education system needs more flexibility
and could consider placing individual schools on performance
contracts and turn them over to the private sector or a group of
teachers, The News reported.
"It makes complete sense that we would take advantage of the
expertise in the private sector," Ball said, according to The
News. "We're struggling with what the right structure should
be."
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Private sector could aid schools,"
March 20, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1206024029239040.xml&coll=2
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Corporations donate millions for
public school programs," Sept. 21, 2001
http://www.educationreport.org/3749
KELLOGGSVILLE CHIEF LOOKS TO REFORM NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The top official of the Kelloggsville
Public Schools has sent a letter to the state superintendent
asking for flexibility with the new state graduation
requirements, according to The Grand Rapids Press.
Kelloggsville Superintendent Samuel Wright argued in the letter
to State Superintendent Mike Flanagan that the new requirements
are too difficult for many students and are a "one-size-fits-all
model" that "may very well lead to higher dropout and failure
rates..." The Press reported. Instead, Wright suggests offering
separate paths and tests for students heading in different
directions after graduation. He suggested that by eighth grade,
students would choose a "collegiate career pathway" or a
"technical career pathway." Wright also asked that students in
the technical pathway take a different standardized test — ACT
Work Keys — than college-bound students, according to The Press.
Legislators are disappointed that educators are already
dismissing the rigor of the new requirements and considering
them impossible.
"They went into effect with this year's freshmen, and those kids
are just over one semester into their high school careers,"
State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, told The Press. "Maybe the
superintendents should give their students a chance before
saying they can't do this. When these kids are juniors and we're
still talking about this, that's the time to make changes."
Other districts have taken an active role in reforming the new
requirements. Rockford Superintendent Michael Shibler has
requested residents send letters to elected officials asking for
more flexibility.
"I have no problem whatsoever with rigor," Shibler told The
Press. "But we also need to put students in courses that are
relevant, and that's not happening when you tell all students
they need to take geometry and algebra II."
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Kelloggsville school chief makes
district first to rebel against tougher Michigan graduation
requirements," March 20, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/03/kelloggsville_school_chief_mak.html
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Hope in State Graduation
Standards Misplaced," Jan. 3, 2006
http://www.mackinac.org/7498
ANN ARBOR SCHOOLS DEVELOP ADVERTISING PLAN
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Ann Arbor Public Schools has developed a
plan for advertising in hopes of bringing more students into the
district, according to The Ann Arbor News.
District officials are convinced they haven't done a good job of
promoting the schools in the past. The aim of this new plan will
be to promote the qualities that make the district "exceptional"
and stand out compared to other area schools, The News reported.
"We've never done a great job at promoting what we do well in
this district," Liz Margolis, the district's director of
communications, told The News. "We just can't rest on
assumptions any more."
Ann Arbor schools lost 210 students this year, following a trend
of declining enrollment due to schools of choice transfers by
students assigned to the district. If students don't enroll in
other public school districts, they will usually enroll in one
of several private or charter public schools in the area. To
counter this, the focus of the advertising plan will be to
highlight the district's safety, diversity, athletics, music and
community service, according to The News.
We know we have an excellent product here," advertising
committee member Deb Mexicotte told The News. "We're not selling
snake oil here. We want to market ourselves as the high
achieving school district that we are. We are talking about the
exceptional Ann Arbor schools. It's not just that you're going
to get a world-class education, you're getting the whole
exceptional package."
The proposed plan may cost more than $70,000 and will involve
different forms of local media. The district is also working on
improving customer service with all of its employees, The News
reported.
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Ad campaign aims to attract students,"
March 19, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-26/120593762992180.xml&coll=2
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Advertising for students: Schools
use radio, TV, billboards to lure 'customers'," May 24, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8499
MUSKEGON SCHOOLS DEVELOP SPANISH-ENGLISH IMMERSION PROGRAM
MUSKEGON, Mich. — After a lack of interest put plans for the
development of an International Academy of Muskegon on hold, the
district is planning an elementary Spanish-English immersion
program, according to The Muskegon Chronicle.
The program will be held at Moon Elementary, which already has
bilingual education classrooms for students who speak Spanish as
their first language. Students will be taught primarily in
Spanish, and the program is considered "two-way" because
students will be both native Spanish and English speakers, The
Chronicle reported.
The program will be made available to all students in the
district, with free transportation. Schools of choice students
from outside the district will be able to select the immersion
program on their applications. The district is looking to make a
long-term investment in the program, and hopes parents will
stick with it. A mastery of a foreign language often gives job
applicants an edge, according to Linda Wierenga, executive
director of elementary education for Muskegon schools.
"When looking for teachers, seeing they have efficiency in
Spanish will put them ahead of others, at least in getting an
interview for a job," Wierenga told The Chronicle.
SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Muskegon district plans Spanish-English
immersion program," March 19, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/03/muskegon_district_plans_spanis.html
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Dearborn: A Traditional
Public School District Accepts the Charter School Challenge," in
"The Impact of Limited School Choice on Public School
Districts," July 24, 2000
http://www.mackinac.org/2977
PRIVATE SCHOOL MIGHT BE FORCED OUT OF BUILDING
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. — A 1996 sales agreement between a Jewish
congregation and the Birmingham Public Schools likely will force
a small, private special education school to relocate, according
to Michigan Education Report, a publication of the Mackinac
Center for Public Policy.
The case is an example of the ongoing competition for students,
money and space among southeast Michigan schools.
Learning Circle Academy has leased space in the Laker
Educational and Youth Complex in West Bloomfield for four years,
but is looking for a new location due to restrictions on
educational uses of the building.
When the Birmingham district sold the former elementary school
to Congregation Shaarey Zedek, the agreement prohibited any
program which causes the Birmingham district to lose revenue by
a parent choosing to enroll a child in a program at the Laker
Center rather than one run by the district.
Oakland County, which encompasses the Birmingham district, is
one of the most competitive school arenas in Michigan, with more
than 100 private school sites.
SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "Private special education school
might be forced out of building," March 25, 2008
http://www.mackinac.org/9347
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "School in Focus: Learning Circle
Academy," Nov. 14, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/9083
Michigan Education Report, "A Charter Challenge: Finding an
affordable school building can be a hurdle," Nov. 14, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/8826
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
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