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Michigan Education Daily

Troy goes private, Rochester does not

Thu., April 23, 2009

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Rochester Community Schools will retain in-house custodial and transportation programs, while the Troy school district will hire an outside firm for busing, according to media reports in each district.

In Rochester, the school board has accepted a three-year contract with 200 custodial, grounds, maintenance and transportation employees that could save the district up to $2.2 million in the next year, the Detroit Free Press reported. The agreement includes pay cuts ranging from 5.5 to 25.5 percent and provides an HMO insurance plan.

Troy school board members voted to accept a bid for transportation services from First Student, a Scotland-based firm that already works in several other Michigan districts, according to C&G News. The district anticipates saving $2.5 million over three years.

 The 77 members of the school’s transportation department will be offered jobs with the new company at the same wage and will be offered health insurance, according to Tim McAvoy, the district communication manager, C&G News reported.

Harry Sahourieh, president of the Troy Educational Support Personnel Association, said that the union had offered 10 percent pay cuts and a two-tier wage and benefit system. The groups will continue to negotiate over other support services.

SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, “Rochester school board accepts contract,” April 21, 2009

C&G News, “Troy school board out sources bus services,” April 22, 2009

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, “Privatization numbers up again,” Aug. 19, 2008

 

Michigan Education Daily
Sun., November 22, 2009
"National teachers' unions have been solidly behind health care reform so far, but Education Week reports that they are not so excited about a Senate version that would tax so-called "Cadillac" health plans." >>
Sat., November 21, 2009
"Hillsdale Community Schools is offering severance packages to teachers and support personnel who retire now as a way to save money in the long run." >>
Fri., November 20, 2009
"The University of Michigan believes that a plan to create a single health insurance pool for all public employees is unconstitutional, firefighters believe it's unwise, but the president of Lansing Community College sees it as the right moral choice." >>
Thu., November 19, 2009
"Jackson Public Schools is investigating switching insurance carriers, self-funding or asking all employee groups to agree to higher deductibles and co-pays as ways to spend less on health insurance." >>
Wed., November 18, 2009
"Not yet certain whether they will face a $127 per-pupil cut in December, school administrators are reviewing their choices for dealing with it." >>
Tue., November 17, 2009
"More than one-third of the students who live within Detroit Public Schools boundaries attended a public charter school in 2008-2009." >>
Sun., November 15, 2009
"More than one-third of the students who live within Detroit Public Schools boundaries attended a public charter school in 2008-2009." >>
User Comments
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

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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 >>
colonelb
Godfrey-Lee on the west side of the state has been running all-day, every-day kindergarten for several years. >>
BenjaminY
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/


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colonelb
I am all for school choice and think its great that charters are finally moving forward. However, I'm wondering if the research accounts for a playing field that is not level. I can't take my school buildings and move them anywhere I want, nor can I simply slap up a pole building and make it a school. If anything, public schools need less state regulation and oversight so we can play by the same minimal rules charters do. If you want public schools to compete to improve, remove the barriers to doing so. I will gladly except less funding per pupil if the playing field is level.
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karen
The purpose is to encourage non excercising children to excercise but my daughter's highschool gave her an improper body fat percentage and made my healthy daughter who trains 20 hours a week in tap jazz and ballet believe she was overweaghit instead of a person with muscles.
I believe the public schools do not have the right to make the diagnoses with these kids because they are using one measurement and recording it from their arms that they have a certain percetnage of body fat with one arm caliper test.
Does any one have feed back?
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deepakp9
Specifically, 81 percent of students in religiously affiliated schools and 82 percent of students in other private schools have parents who report being "very satisfied" with their schools, compared to 55 percent of students in assigned public schools and 63 percent of students in chosen public schools.

High levels of satisfaction among private school parents also extend to opinions about their children's teachers, academic standards of the school, order and discipline at the school, the amount of homework assigned, and interactions with school personnel.

http://fitt.in >>
TeenageProblems
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