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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
February 26, 2008

Contents of this issue:
  • DPS graduation rate is 32 percent
  • Independent schools advertise for students
  • Michigan schools received recalled beef
  • Southfield considers competitive contracting
  • Highland Park school board member sues colleagues over funds
  • Comment and win an iPod
DPS GRADUATION RATE IS 32 PERCENT
DETROIT — About 32 percent of Detroit Public Schools students graduate in four years, according to The Detroit News.

The results come from a Michigan State University study using methods now required by the federal government. The Michigan Department of Education, which will adopt the MSU model statewide, says the DPS graduation rate is 66.8 percent, The News reported.

"It doesn't seem credible to me," DPS Board President Carla Scott told The News. "You can make data for anything you want it to say, but (they) should have factored in the reasons why they left."

Scott said students who leave the district before graduation should not be counted as dropouts.

The statewide graduation rate for the four years ending in 2006 was 72.9 percent, The News said, which is lower than the 85.7 percent claimed by the MDE.

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Detroit schools grad rate: 32%," Feb. 25, 2008
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/SCHOOLS/802250382

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Legislators: Listen to Detroit Parents," Feb. 5, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8205

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ADVERTISE FOR STUDENTS
DETROIT — Private and parochial schools in Michigan have begun to embrace advertising and marketing as a way to attract students and combat dropping enrollment, according to The Detroit News.

Enrollment at independent schools in Michigan has dropped 28 percent in the last decade, while the number of nonpublic schools has decreased from more than 1,000 to about 870, The News reported.

University Liggett School in metro Detroit has increased spending on advertising.

"It's pretty aggressive," Peggy O'Connor, Liggett's director of marketing and public relations, told The News. "I can tell you that our (advertising) spending is well into the six figures and that's a significant increase for us."

O'Connor said that while it is a sacrifice for parents to send their children to an independent school, they also should think about the benefits.

"But our kids end up going to some excellent colleges and universities with scholarships," O'Connor told The News. "So, it helps parents to know they might be paying for school now, but they may not have to later."

The Archdiocese of Detroit, which has seen a 25 percent drop in enrollment the last six years, started an advertising campaign two years ago that includes billboards and radio spots.

Laura Wroblewski, who has one son in Catholic grade school and another son in Catholic high school, said the ads helped her family realize the sacrifices they are making are worth it.

"You need to know there's always an option," Wroblewski told The News. "Our children are learning compassion and tolerance (at school). They're learning that there are other people out there and we all need to help each other."

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Private schools make public pitch," Feb. 23, 2008
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/SCHOOLS/802230386

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Opportunities of Education Tax Credits," Nov. 23, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/9128

MICHIGAN SCHOOLS RECEIVED RECALLED BEEF
DETROIT — Several Michigan school districts received beef that is part of the largest food recall ever, according to The Detroit News.

Schools in Detroit, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids received products from Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. in California, which is the target of a USDA investigation for animal abuse, The News reported.

USDA Undersecretary Kate Houston said much of the beef, shipped since February 2006, has most likely already been consumed by students, and that it is unlikely to cause an illness, according to The News.

Detroit Public Schools found 24 cases of processed taco meat and 126 cases of processed chili meat from the company in its warehouse, Karen Cutler, a spokeswoman for Aramark, told The News. Aramark is a company hired by DPS to manage the district's lunch program.

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Schools received recalled meat," Feb. 19, 2008
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/METRO01/802190319/1026

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Privatization vote prompts violent thread against DPS board," May 23, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7710

SOUTHFIELD CONSIDERS COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Southfield Public Schools has hired consultants from the Oakland County Intermediate School District to examine the possibility of competitively contracting janitorial, food and busing services, according to the Southfield Eccentric.

Four consultants will work for $50-$100 an hour for a total contract that will not exceed $50,000. This is the first time such an arrangement has been made for contracting, the Eccentric reported.

The district's support services union has already started a petition drive against competitive contracting and estimates a total of 1,325 signatures. The school board voted 4-0 to approve the agreement and maintains that it is only looking into the option and has not made a decision. The district is expecting a 0.9 percent increase in student spending, but that is negated by a 1 percent increase in the cost of employee retirement benefits. The district projects that it will spend $6 million more than it takes in for 2008-2009, according to the Eccentric.

SOURCE:
Southfield Eccentric, "Southfield schools look for outside help in deciding on privatization," Feb. 21, 2008
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080217/NEWS20/802170378/1037

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Survey 2007: More Growth in School Support Service Privatization," Aug. 16, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8881

HIGHLAND PARK SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SUES COLLEAGUES OVER FUNDS
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. — A member of the Highland Park board of education has filed a lawsuit against certain members — including the board president — for using taxpayer money to purchase a variety of electronic goods, according to The Detroit News.

Robert Davis filed a lawsuit asking other board members to pay back about $13,000 to the district for items like home computers, PDAs and printers. He is also seeking the judge to rule that board President Jamille Edwards has violated her oath of office, The News reported.

"Their conduct is too egregious for me to just sit back and let it happen and not bring it to the forefront," Davis said. "It is a clear violation of the person's oath of office."

The district has faced financial woes and declining enrollment for years. Davis's suit claims board member Joyce Watkins has spent the most district money for personal electronics, The News reported. Watkins spent a total of $2,764 for a desktop computer, two printers, a wireless card, a sound system, web cam, a laptop computer and a cell phone, according to The News. Board member Brenda Epperson was shocked by the lawsuit, saying she was given a laptop and case to use for board business.

"When I was elected to the board this equipment was lent to me, not to keep, but to be used for board business," Epperson told The News. "This is for when I travel, and I'm taking classes to become a certified board member. I have my own desktop, I have a fax machine, I have my own cell phone, I have my own stuff. This is what I use for board business."

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Member sues chief, school board," Feb. 20, 2008
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080220/METRO/802200391/1026/rss06

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Board Self-Help," Sept. 27, 2004
http://www.mackinac.org/6844

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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http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=MED
Related Topics: Education

Comments

Reply New Comment

Detroit Public School

BenjaminY,
March 17, 2009, 12:57:05 AM
We have a problem in Detroit Public School, their system had cash flow problem for years now. And honestly it getting worst in terms in progression with more children leaving to charter their schools almost every year. The state decided to give the Detroit school districts cash advance of $70 million so they would meet the schools expenses, as well as payment for teachers. Robert Bobb, the newly appointed emergency financial manager, requested the funds early in order for him to get the house in order before he had to start panicking. President Obama has been giving out large sums of money for troubled school districts, perhaps that’s where a generous portion of the aid came from. Getting Detroit Public Schools in working order is a worthy cause.

LINK TO READ FOR MORE INFO:
http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/03/10/state-advance-detroit-public-schools-70m/


Reply New Comment

As a school board member ...

From Mackinac Blog,
May 6, 2008, 12:20:38 PM
As a school board member outside of Detroit, I am concerned about the lower standards that are created by the poor numbers coming out of southeast Michigan. While the situation in the Detroit area is unfortunate and complicated, the numbers from that area are possibly creating a false sense of accomplishment across the state.

How many times have you heard, "Our MEAP scores are 12% above the state average!" and wondered if that is really a good gauge? If the largest district in the state is only graduating 32% and my district graduates at the state average, then I can assume that my district is perfoming lower than most in the 81 counties outside of Detroit.

If the state released MEAP and graduation statistics that excluded the largest 3 districts and the smallest 30 districts, the numbers would be much higher and a more challenging benchmark for districts to aim for.
Michigan Education Daily
Wed., September 1, 2010
"An aviation school in Michigan is one example of a new generation of public charter schools designed to serve niche audiences." >>
Tue., August 31, 2010
"A 10-year-old Windsor boy who completed part of his education in Michigan is being denied entry to public high school in Windsor even though he's completed the eighth-grade curriculum." >>
Mon., August 30, 2010
"Principal John Hoving is using Facebook as a way to promote Bay City All Saints Central School as well as to head off possible cyber bullying." >>
Sun., August 29, 2010
"Royal Oak Public Schools students will be featured in an Oct. 12 episode of MTV's "If You Really Knew Me," a cable television program that the producer describes as "students trying to be accepted for who they are."" >>
Sat., August 28, 2010
"Public schools in Michigan were offered an automatic "A" on part of their annual state report card this year, a one-time arrangement that may have spared some from being unaccredited." >>
Fri., August 27, 2010
"More than 1,000 teacher retirements will allow Detroit Public Schools to recall all teachers from layoff and hire up to 300 more to fill staffing gaps." >>
Thu., August 26, 2010
"Inland Lakes Schools is considering hiring a private firm to provide custodial services as a way to save money, but a union representative says that new federal funding makes such a move unnecessary." >>
User Comments
carol peterson
education is an all around development for a child
he should be mentally and physically strong


<a href="http://rescueyoursavings.com" rel="dofollow">Savings</a> >>
carol peterson
education is an all around development for a child
he should be mentally and physically strong >>
johnstfu
Informative post. In order to deal with today's troubled youth, it is helpful to take a professional guidance for better teen recovery programs. Choosing a specialized organization for troubled youth is one of the most important steps for better teen recovery. Boysville is one of the non profit organization dedicated to help troubled youth with years of successful results by helping <a href=http://www.troubledteensguide.com/>troubled youth</a> to responsible individuals. Hope this organization continue their priceless support to most of the needy troubled youth with various helpful services. >>
Aarowman
Public servants like Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Judges, Secretaries of Various Departments and the like should be first to be compensated for performance.
The idea that the playing field for students is level everywhere is as Quixotic as thinking all politicians are honest and competent.
There are neighborhoods where only Portugese or gang sign language is spoken, where the parents both work two jobs to pay rent, where getting to school and back is more dangerous than Iraq and Afghanastan.
This Secretary of Education has to remove the silver spoon, roll up his sleeves and take his superior intellect attitude into the trenches and show the poor slobs that are taking their teachers jobs for granted how he would do it. Just because his mommy used to help out in Chicago doesn't give him the Congression Medal of Honor. Actually he's a stuffed shirt pretending to know it all.
How much do you want to bet that he wouldn't attempt entering these neighborhoods let alone these schools without security. >>
verdemont resident
This article is tucked away yet is profoundly correct. Parents are pseudo parenting little objects of consumption. Teens, professionals, working moms like the "idea" of a child but are not in for the long haul and everyone loses.

Schools are enabling parents to do precious little. The time parents spend with their children is the only thing that matters. Bussing needs to be cut, school breakfast, lunch, and afterschool care needs to be stopped. Parents will grow that bond by sacrificing the nails, hair, parties, drugs, quads, vacations, etc. and making a lunch for their child and arrangements to be home when the child is out of school. No one is that poor that they can't provide a boloney sandwich, a baggie of pretzels, an apple, 50 cents for a milk, and two cookies each day.

Please respond!

>>
JackI
Is it true that young ones today are losing interest on these subjects? Obviously, the White House is promoting programs that will help students on coping up with math and science subjects. But, The federal government thinks that the quality of math and science education can repair credit with the scientific community and improve US education with a few <a rev="vote for" title="U.S. Government Spends $250 Million on Science and Math" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/Payday-Loans/ ">payday loans</a> of sorts. In reality, it will take far longer to accomplish than they might think – US educators can't even get students to accept that "irregardless" isn't a word, and the difference between their, they're, and there – our students can't even learn their own language! It's a noble aim, to be sure, but throwing money at it may not work in the long run. >>
beggarsall
I am a teacher in the same county who is presently trying to quit the union. Like Caldwell, I strongly disagree with the MEA.

This article was timely.

Rob Olson
Pittsford Area Schools

>>
rickolson
I agree this is a change worth making. I describe some of the uneven effects of the idea on my blog at http://rickolson.blogspot.com/2009/08/statewide-health-insurance-plan-for.html which you may also wish to read.

The devil will be in the details, so this is one we will need to monitor closely.

Rick Olson from Saline, former school Business Manager >>
MichelleO

Nowadays, saving money is very crucial and properly investing the money can keep you and your family away from the effect of the financial crisis. The sad news is that a lot of the options for short term funding have been drying up. Short term funding is a necessary thing to have around, and going through traditional channels such as banks isn't an option for a lot of people anymore – basically it's only open to Ken Lewis. Installment loans are an option, but some people, including senior citizens, have been thinking about raiding their retirement fund. Getting into your pension retirement plan or 401(k) funds is the last thing you want to do if you don't qualify for any withdrawals yet. The penalties are substantial, and you'll end up needing installments loans to pay them if you use retirement funds for <a rev="vote for" title="Installment Loans Reliable Option As 401(k)s are Dwindling" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/05/17/installment-loans-reliable-option-401ks-dwindling/">short term funding</a>.


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QUEEN_BEE_09
I AGREE >>