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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST May 13, 2008

Tue., May 13, 2008
Contents of this issue:
  • Swartz Creek considers creating charter school
  • Grand Rapids contracts for custodial services
  • Genesee County voters approve school taxes
  • Flint schools pink slip another 28 employees
  • Romulus expands schools of choice policy
SWARTZ CREEK CONSIDERS CREATING CHARTER SCHOOL
SWARTZ CREEK, Mich. — The Swartz Creek school district is considering establishing a charter public school for its alternative education students, according to The Flint Journal.

The earliest the school would open is the fall of 2009, and it would be the first charter public school authorized by a conventional school district in Genesee County, the Journal reported.

"As a school district and board we've made a decision to be prescriptive in education for each child," school board member Dallas Gatlin, who chairs the academic achievement committee, told The Journal. "We can't pick and choose which students we're going to do that for."

By establishing a charter, the district will grant the school autonomy and allow it to experiment with different educational methods. The school may also have flexible learning schedules, which could include three sessions over 12 hours daily and a year-round program. The school would serve students in grades 9-12 and the goal would be to get them on track to graduate by age 18, according to The Journal.

"It's pretty obvious the system that was in place didn't work for these kids," Superintendent Jeff Pratt told The Journal. "By chartering, it allows us as a school district to focus attention on specific populations in a way different from the majority of students we have."

SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Swartz Creek School District will investigate creation of charter school for next school year," May 9, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/05/swartz_creek_school_district_w.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "District hires company to provide alternative education," Nov. 14, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/9094

GRAND RAPIDS CONTRACTS FOR CUSTODIAL SERVICES
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids board of education has hired a company to fill vacant part-time custodial positions, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

The board unanimously approved a deal with CSM Services through the end of the school year, which will cost the district $55,000. The recommendation has been made to sign a three-year contract with the company. The deal was a result of a high turnover rate among part-time custodians working for the district. During the 2006-2007 school year, the district had 55 custodial positions and by the end of the year, 22 of those employees left. Under the contract, current employees will keep their jobs, but any new hires will be made by CSM, The Press reported.

"When we're talking about school safety, that also means keeping the buildings clean to keep people from getting sick," Grand Rapids Education Association union President Paul Helder told The Press. "They haven't been filling these jobs, and then the buildings are dirty, and you have problems like roaches."

Board member David Allen still backs the plan.

"One of the things people bring up when they hear 'the p word' — privatization — is that we won't be able to control who is coming into our schools," Allen told The Press. "But this plan doesn't eliminate any jobs and is more to deal with the incredible turnover in these positions."

SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Private service to clean Grand Rapids Schools," May 6, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-41/12100797701 91930.xml&coll=6

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Custodial Contracting," in "A School Privatization Primer," June 26, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8713

GENESEE COUNTY VOTERS APPROVE SCHOOL TAXES
FLINT, Mich. — Voters in Beecher, Fenton and Goodrich agreed to local school taxes, according to The Flint Journal.

In Beecher, 75 percent of voters approved an 18-mill levy on nonhomestead property. If the measure had failed, the district would have lost $931,000 in revenue. Parent Karen Spiller voted for the proposal so the schools can remain on par with other districts, The Journal reported.

"I voted for the millage because Beecher students should have the same opportunities as other schools," Spiller, the parent of a high school senior, told The Journal.

Sixty-eight percent of Fenton voters approved the district's 18-mill levy on nonhomestead property. Residents also voted in favor of a 3-mill increase to be used if there is a "Headlee rollback." The measures provide the district with $5.2 million in additional general fund revenues, according to The Journal.

Goodrich voters also approved a 3-mill Headlee override, giving the district an additional $239,000.

SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Despite struggling economy nonhomestead renewals approved in Beecher and Fenton schools; Goodrich voters pass Headlee override proposal," May 7, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/05/despite_struggling_economy_non.html

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Local Government," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8550

FLINT SCHOOLS PINK SLIP ANOTHER 28 EMPLOYEES
FLINT, Mich. — The Flint board of education voted to send 28 more lay-off notices to employees, according to The Flint Journal.

Superintendent Linda Thompson said the pink slips — sent to parent facilitators and behavioral specialists — are precautionary and, more than likely, temporary. The layoffs go into effect on June 13, but will be rescinded before next school year when the district receives $16 million in federal Title I aid, The Journal reported.

Community member Belinda Mack isn't too worried about the layoffs.

"It's sad some people don't see the big picture of what's going on," Mack told The Journal. "We don't have the money and we have to do what we can to keep the children we have. Everyone should take a business class to understand."

The 28 pink slips are in addition to the 240 layoff notices sent to teachers and administrators in April. The district will also close four schools to help alleviate budgeted spending that is $12 million over expected revenues, according to The Journal.

SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Flint schools send 28 more lay-off notices, hope to bring staff back," May 7, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/05/flint_schools_send_28_more_lay.html

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School District Budgeting," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8560
ROMULUS EXPANDS SCHOOLS OF CHOICE POLICY
ROMULUS, Mich. — The Romulus Community Schools has revised its schools of choice policy and will now allow students assigned to other districts, in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, to enroll in its schools, according to The Romulus Roman.

The district first experimented with schools of choice two years ago and only opened enrollment in one of its elementary schools. Last year the district expanded its policy by creating schools of choice slots in two elementary schools. Now, there will be 10 schools of choice spots per grade at each of the four elementary schools, as well as at the middle school, The Roman reported.

"What happened last year is that we had too many students at the facilities we advertised," Superintendent Carl Weiss told The Roman. "This strategically is a little different — we can place the students at any building where we have the room."

Last year, 38 students from outside the district chose to attend Romulus schools. District officials hope to fill all of the available schools of choice slots through an advertising campaign this summer. If the district fills all available slots, it will receive about $700,000 in additional revenue.

"I think everyone knows that all of the schools around us are doing this," Weiss told The Roman. "We haven't had any complaints since we started taking students, so we have a lot of support."

SOURCE:
The Romulus Roman, "School of Choice plan is expanded," May 8, 2008
http://www.journalgroup.com/Romulus/7610/school-of-choice-plan-is-expanded

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Conclusion: Competition Is Improving Public Schools for Michigan Children," in "The Impact of Limited School Choice on Public School Districts," July 24, 2000
http://www.mackinac.org/2979

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Foundation Allowance: General Education," in "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8628#nonassign

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education Report (http://www.educationreport.org), an online 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... >>