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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
August 26, 2008

Contents of this issue:
  • Grand Rapids teachers union threatens illegal strike
  • More Michigan schools fall short of goals
  • Portage bidding process questioned
  • One-quarter of Michigan high school students don't finish
  • DPS sued over computer lease
  • Saginaw pays to get rid of teacher
GRAND RAPIDS TEACHERS UNION THREATENS ILLEGAL STRIKE
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The president of the Grand Rapids teachers union sent a letter to substitute teachers in the district asking them not to cross picket lines should the union strike, according to The Grand Rapids Press. Teacher strikes are illegal under Michigan law.

The district and union have not been able to agree on a contract for more than a year, The Press reported. Both sides have agreed to "fact finding," in which the state appoints a third party to help resolve the dispute.

SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "GRPS teachers union asks substitutes not to cross picket line," Aug. 25, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/08/grps_teachers_union_asks_subst.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "GRPS board votes 'no confidence' in union; won't collect dues," May 27, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9484

MORE MICHIGAN SCHOOLS FALL SHORT OF GOALS
LANSING, Mich. — The number of Michigan schools failing to meet standards set by the federal No Child Left Behind Act increased by 150 during the 2007-2008 school year, according to The Detroit News.

"While this shows that all schools are not where they need to be, or where we want them to be, 80 percent are meeting the higher goals and helping students achieve," Kathleen N. Straus, president of the state Board of Education, said in a press release, The News reported.

NCLB requires schools to achieve "Adequate Yearly Progress." Those that fail face sanctions, The News reported. Schools facing first-time sanctions numbered 185 in 2008, up from 118 in 2007.

The biggest decline was among high schools, 241 of which achieved AYP in 2008, compared to 313 in 2007, according to Booth Newspapers.

SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "Report: Fewer Michigan schools met federal goals last year," Aug. 25, 2008
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080825/METRO/ 808250409/1361

Booth Newspapers, "Number of Michigan schools meeting goals drops," Aug. 25, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-56/12196949 8659470.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Michigan adopts NCLB growth model," July 28, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9682

PORTAGE BIDDING PROCESS QUESTIONED
PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage Public Schools might revise its construction bidding process to give preference to the low bidder rather than local companies, according to The Kalamazoo Gazette.

The board of education in July picked a Kalamazoo company to perform $1.3 million worth of work on a new elementary school, despite its bid being $41,000 higher than the low bidder, The Gazette reported.

"I feel local preferences are important, but also feel a fair process is even more important," board Vice President Jennifer Whistler told The Gazette. "I have an emotional attachment to local businesses, but we're so tight on our budgets, we don't have much wiggle room."

SOURCE:
The Kalamazoo Gazette, "Portage schools revising bid practices," Aug. 5, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-30/12179478 22116560.xml&coll=7

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Effects of Michigan's Prevailing Wage Law," Aug. 27, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8907

ONE-QUARTER OF MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DON'T FINISH
LANSING, Mich. — One in four Michigan high school students do not graduate, according to The Detroit News.

A new way of tracking high school students, which looks at those who entered high school as freshmen in 2003, showed 75.5 percent had graduated by 2007. The new formula accounts for those who transfer schools, stop and start school or are held back a grade, The News said.

The previous method for calculating graduation rates, which was based on retention, put Michigan at 85.8 percent.

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Michigan graduation rates: 25 percent don't finish in four years," Aug. 25, 2008
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080825/SCHOOLS/ 808250400

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Hope in state graduation standards misplaced," March 7, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7633

DPS SUED OVER COMPUTER LEASE
DETROIT — General Electric Capital has filed a federal lawsuit against Detroit Public Schools over a lease for Apple computers, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The company says DPS missed a payment of $254,000 in May. That charge is up to $280,000 including late fees, the Tribune reported.

SOURCE:
Chicago Tribune, "Detroit schools get an 'F' in computer deal," Aug. 21, 2008
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-detroitschools-co,0, 5026982.story

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Vendors won't send DPS textbooks," Aug. 19, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9737

SAGINAW PAYS TO GET RID OF TEACHER
SAGINAW, Mich. — The Saginaw School District will pay more than $65,000 to rid itself of a teacher accused of poor classroom behavior, according to The Saginaw News.

The district will pay $42,000 for Teri Dinsmore's salary through the end of 2008 and her benefits until next June in a separation package negotiated by lawyers from the Michigan Education Association school employees union, The News reported. The district already has spent $23,000 to pay Dinsmore and substitute teachers since she was suspended last spring.

Dinsmore has been suspended or reprimanded at least six times since 2004, The News reported. The district could have spent more than $100,000 had it pursued firing her, which would have involved hearings before the Teacher Tenure Commission.

SOURCE:
The Saginaw News, "Saginaw schools pay $65,000 in settlement to keep teacher out of the classroom," Aug. 22, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/08/saginaw_schools_pay_65000_in_s.html

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Reforming Teacher Tenure Practices" in "A Teacher Quality Primer," June 30, 2008
http://www.mackinac.org/9605

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
Fri., November 21, 2008
"Bay County area schools should conduct school board elections jointly with general elections as a way to save money and have more representative voter turnout." >>
Thu., November 20, 2008
"Now three years old, the Kalamazoo Promise has had mixed results in its mission to send Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates to college." >>
Wed., November 19, 2008
"Grand Rapids and Holland public schools are reporting higher numbers of homeless students than last year and expect the figures to grow." >>
Tue., November 18, 2008
"Nineteen Detroit Public Schools teachers are running for election to leadership slots in the Detroit Federation of Teachers union on a school reform platform, according to The Detroit News. The teachers want to open their own charter school modeled after the Los Angeles Green Dot Schools." >>
Mon., November 17, 2008
"Teachers in Gaylord Community Schools have voted to replace the Michigan Educational Special Services Association with AmeraPlan as a third-party insurance administrator, saving the district about 25 percent on health care costs." >>
Sun., November 16, 2008
"A Spanish language teacher quit her job at Michigan Collegiate High School amid allegations that she had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student." >>
Sat., November 15, 2008
"Wyandotte Public Schools is attracting attention statewide for its 90 percent pass rate among algebra II students." >>
User Comments
llsmith
Testing is not the answer. All it does is give the "teacher" a basis for determining a grade. And, we all know that grading and grades are circumspect. Rather, a more true measure of learning is when the learner (i.e., the "student" using traditional and aniquated terminology and stereotyping) wants to know more about a topic or issue. This expression of desire for more is an affirmation that the learner has mastered current concepts and material and now wants to move on. In this scenario no test nor grade is necessary. What should be necessary is for the provider (i.e., the "teacher") to have the next level or dimension of concepts and materials readily available to present and apply once the learner expresses the desire to move on.

What we need is a system that is designed to cater to this basal learning behavior and can be applied in real time. Take a look at the definitive treatment "Education in America -- What's to Be Done?" developed by Trigon-International. This commission report presents an end-to-end solution that is actionable and affordable. >>
samuel
$400 K, try $400 million >>
terrym2442
Thank you to Lorie Shane and Marcie Lipsitt for blowing off the cover, exposing one of Michigan's "dirty secrets."

As the parent of a child with special needs in Michigan, it's been an uphill battle since day one to get the APPROPRIATE services for my child. Sadly, the bar is held too low for our kids. Upon graduating, if the student is not capable of attending college, he/she is warehoused into post-secondary settings where formal academics are not offered. Perhaps if students had gotten proper academics when younger- taught by highly qualified teachers- many would have had the opportunity to move on and continue formal academics like their non-disabled peers, rather than be expected to dust shelves and bag groceries their whole lives.

Michigan's special eduation has and continues to fail our children.

>>
frick@mackinac.org
As a parent I see the value of a teacher with knowledge of both special ed methods and the subject matter. Do enough of them exist to go around? My guess is that many teachers who concentrated their schooling and training on special ed took fewer courses in subject matter (English, Mathematics, Science, etc.). There are limits on course load, number of years in college, and student finance.

As much as we want the best for every person, we are not going to have six teachers each an expert in their subject matter per one pupil. So in this world of limited resources, each person and our society have to decide how to use the resources we have. Hopefully a successful balance of flexibility and accountability can produce the desired results: educated children with the capacity to think and the ability to learn. >>
Carol
Michigan High School & the University deliver quality education to its
students & has maintained its standard with good caliber. The courses offered by the Michigan institutes are versatile and for future progress of the society and the students, it further enhances them to become excellent citizens!!
---------------------------
Carol
<a href="http://http://www.treatmentcenters.org/michigan">Michigan Treatment Centers</a>
>>
drgrenan
Thank you for your comments. I would be honored and proud to go to any school district or meeting to stand up for your/our children!! Just EMail me and I will be there or call me anytime at 616-8474282
Thank You, Dr Jack Grenan Educator and Cancer Survivor >>
ilifflij
Parents and teachers have not had a voice. The waivers used have allowed administrators of various Michigan schools to plunk in 20 - 25 students in a classroom of students with learning disabilities. As a special education teacher, I find it very difficult to meet the individual learning objectives of that many students. >>
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* >>