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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
July 19, 2006

Contents of this issue:

  • Private firm helps Battle Creek schools cut energy costs

  • NEA spends $8 million fighting NCLB

  • DPS error omits teachers from payroll

  • Grand Rapids administrators could get incentive-based raises

  • MESSA disagreement hampering Ferris State contract talks

PRIVATE FIRM HELPS BATTLE CREEK SCHOOLS CUT ENERGY COSTS
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A private company that assists schools in reducing energy costs helped Battle Creek Public Schools save $5 million in the past decade, according to The Battle Creek Enquirer.

Texas-based Energy Education Inc., which had a $446,000 contract with Battle Creek schools from 1997 to 2001, continues to provide consulting services to the district, The Enquirer reported.

Steve Osborn, energy manager for the district, said the private company "came in and taught us how to save energy," according to The Enquirer. Osborn said students, teachers and staff have made simple changes in daily routines, such as turning off lights in empty rooms and powering off computers that aren't in use.

Energy Education uses a computer software program that monitors energy use in each building, which is compared against weather forecasts for specific days, The Enquirer reported. Osborn said the program tracks energy uses, instead of costs.

"From that, we can tell if a pipe is leaking or if there's abnormal usage based on what we should be using and how much it costs," he told The Enquirer. "We've found a lot of mistakes in buildings that way."

Osborn said the savings have been used to purchase thousands of computers and new audio-visual equipment. About 45 school districts in Michigan contract with Education Energy Inc., according to The Enquirer.

SOURCE:
The Battle Creek Enquirer, "Schools save $5M in energy," July 13, 2006
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060713/NEWS01/607130304/1002

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Walled Lake implements program to save on energy," Nov. 1, 2005
http://www.educationreport.org/7417

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Six Habits of Fiscally Responsible School Districts," Dec. 3, 2002
http://www.mackinac.org/4891

NEA SPENDS $8 MILLION FIGHTING NCLB
WASHINGTON — An investigation by Washington-based think tank Education Sector found that the National Education Association has spent more than $8 million in an effort against a federal law aimed at helping students succeed in math and reading, according to USA Today.

The report showed that the NEA, the nation's largest teachers union, has given millions of dollars to organizations that oppose the No Child Left Behind Act, USA Today reported. NCLB regulations call for all students to be "proficient" in math and reading by 2014.

USA Today reported that opponents of the law were critical of the Bush administration for paying syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams about $240,000 to promote the legislation.

SOURCE:
USA Today, "Report: NEA pays opponents of No Child Left Behind law," July 10, 2006 http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-07-10-nea-no-child_x.htm

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "NEA gives millions to special interest groups," Jan. 10, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7533

Michigan Education Digest, "IRS begins audit of nation's largest teachers union," Nov. 25, 2003
http://www.educationreport.org/5971

DPS ERROR OMITS TEACHERS FROM PAYROLL
DETROIT — About 200 teachers were deleted from the payroll, causing the Detroit Public Schools employees to miss a paycheck last week, according to The Detroit News.

Some of the teachers, who are working during summer school, will not get paid until July 25, some five weeks after summer classes began, The News reported. Mattie Majors, a spokeswoman for DPS, said the error was caused by people not transferring paperwork correctly among departments. According to The News, Majors would not say who was responsible.

"The bottom line is, everybody wasn't on the list to get paid," Majors told The News. "Now their names will be on the list."

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "District error deletes paychecks for Detroit teachers," July 12, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006607120401

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit teachers union wants more money," June 27, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7798

Michigan Education Digest, "Teacher 'sick-out' forces Detroit schools to close," March 28, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7656

GRAND RAPIDS ADMINISTRATORS COULD GET INCENTIVE-BASED RAISES
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Administrators in the Grand Rapids Public Schools could each get a 1.75 percent raise if the district loses fewer than 800 students, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

The district is projecting about 800 students will leave during the 2006-2007 school year. Teachers accepted a similar pay incentive, along with a 1.25 percent raise, in a new contract with the district in June, The Press reported.

About 240 principals, office staff and administrators agreed to the plan and also agreed to pay a higher percentage of their own health care costs, according to The Press.

SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Grand Rapids administrator raises tied to enrollment," July 11, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-30/11526292599720.xml?grpress?NEG&coll=6

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Grand Rapids teachers agree to incentive-based pay," June 27, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7798

Michigan Education Digest, "Otsego teachers will pay more for expensive MESSA insurance," May 9, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7701

MESSA DISAGREEMENT HAMPERING FERRIS STATE CONTRACT TALKS
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — A disagreement over health insurance plans, and how much employees should contribute toward their own insurance, has delayed contract talks at Ferris State University, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

Administrators have offered a variety of health care insurance options from which faculty members can pick. The university has agreed to pay the first $10,740 for coverage, with employees paying anything over that, The Press reported. Faculty also would get a raise and bonuses worth 3 percent.

Among the options are plans offered through the Michigan Education Special Services Association. MESSA is a third-party administrator affiliated with the Michigan Education Association union.

MESSA insurance for next year at Ferris would cost $15,419, The Press reported. Blue Cross would cost $13,560. Mike Ryan, president of the Ferris Faculty Association, told The Press that the university should pay the entire cost of the more expensive MESSA plan.

SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Insurance holds up Ferris contract," July 3, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1151938018229810.xml&coll=6

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "CMU saves millions without MESSA," April 11, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7677

Michigan Education Digest, "Holton staffers drop MESSA," May 2, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7696

Michigan Education Digest, "Pinckney teachers voluntarily abandon MESSA," Feb. 7, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7585

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education Report (http://www.educationreport.org), a quarterly newspaper with a circulation of nearly 150,000 published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy (http://www.mackinac.org), a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.

Contact Managing Editor Ted O'Neil at
mailto:med@educationreport.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to
http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=wwwMED

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
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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>.


>>
QUEEN_BEE_09
I AGREE >>