Contents of this issue:
- Major newspapers come out against Proposal 5
- Detroit enrollment projections could be wrong
- Detroit schools could lay off 430
- Survey: Teacher satisfaction at 20-year high
- Taxpayers question Birch Run schools land buy
- Home-schooled student wins MLK writing contest
MAJOR NEWSPAPERS COME OUT AGAINST PROPOSAL 5
DETROIT — Several of the state's larger daily newspapers have
urged voters to reject Proposal 5, the ballot amendment that
would shift a majority of the responsibility for school employee
pensions to the state's general fund.
The Detroit Free Press, which called Proposal 5 "a slick
political ploy," said the mandated funding increases in the
measure cannot be guaranteed "without huge cuts elsewhere."
The Free Press also pointed out that there is no mention of
student performance tied to the increased spending.
The Grand Rapids Press said Proposal 5 changes the way student
enrollment is counted, and would "exaggerate the number of
students in classes," which would lead to a "larger draw on the
Treasury."
Calling Proposal 5 a "money grab," The Press pointed out that
while the measure asks for school funding to increase at the rate
of inflation, public school funding in Michigan already has
increased 18 percent above inflation over the last decade.
The Livingston Daily Press & Argus said Proposal 5 would force
taxpayers to "shoulder excessive teacher retirement costs." The
Press & Argus also said Michigan teachers are paid in the top
four nationwide and enjoy "outstanding health care benefits."
The Oakland Press pointed out that if passed, Proposal 5 would
create a constant cash flow to schools, "but nothing in the
proposal talks about the money making its way into classrooms for
education purposes," and goes on to say a vote against it "is a
vote against an outrageous effort to take your tax dollars with
no questions asked."
The Traverse City Record-Eagle called Proposal 5 a "disaster
waiting to happen."
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Prop 06-5 would lock in bad policy; vote
no," Oct. 18, 2006
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006610180325
Livingston Daily Press & Argus, "Proposal 5 is bad public policy;
vote no," Oct. 15, 2006
http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061015/OPINION01/610150332
The Grand Rapids Press, "Definite 'No' on Proposal 5,"
Oct. 8, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1160289249262520.xml?grpress?NEE&coll=6
The Oakland Press, "A vote against Proposal 5 isn't vote against
education," Oct. 16, 2006
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/101606/opi_2006101630.shtml
Traverse City Record-Eagle, "Proposal 5 would soak up funding for
other services," Oct. 19, 2006
http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/oct/19edit.htm
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "An Analysis of Proposal 5:
The "K-16" Michigan Ballot Measure," Sept. 12, 2006
http://www.mackinac.org/7924
Michigan Education Report, "Mandatory expenditure increase faces
uphill battle," May 25, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7722
DETROIT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS COULD BE WRONG
DETROIT — Initial estimates of how many students left Detroit
Public Schools since last year could be off by several thousand,
according to the Detroit Free Press.
Officials initially estimated enrollment to be around 119,000, a
drop of about 10,000 compared to the 2005-2006 school year. The
Free Press, however, reported that Superintendent William F. Coleman said on WWJ-AM radio that enrollment could be closer to 115,000, or about 4,000 fewer students than originally announced.
School board member David Murray said a 16-day teacher strike is
to blame for the drop. The Detroit Federation of Teachers union
conducted an illegal strike that denied instruction to students
for seven days.
"We explained to (the teacher's union) that this would be the
consequence," Murray told The Detroit News. "We just have to
continue our campaign to get the kids to come back to DPS."
DFT President Janna Garrison said the drop is due to other
districts recruiting Detroit students and a sinking city
population, according to The News.
Final enrollment figures must be reported to the state by Nov.
15.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "DPS predicts loss of more students than
expected," Oct. 18, 2006
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/NEWS99/61018038
The Detroit News, "DPS count might not be so grim," Oct. 20, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061020/SCHOOLS/610200381/1026
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit enrollment could fall
25,000," Sept. 26, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7946
Michigan Education Digest, "Classes resume after Detroit teachers
end illegal strike," Sept. 19, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7934
DETROIT SCHOOLS COULD LAY OFF 430
DETROIT — Some 430 teachers and counselors received layoff
notices from Detroit Public Schools, according to the Detroit
Free Press.
Beverly Gary, the district's associate superintendent for human
resources, said fewer than 430 could be laid off, depending on
final enrollment numbers, which must be submitted to the state by
Nov. 15, the Free Press reported.
DPS already was anticipating cutting 800 jobs before the 16-day
teacher strike and a larger-than-expected drop in enrollment,
according to the Free Press.
DFT President Janna Garrison questioned the number of notices,
saying it should have been closer to 100 because of planned
retirements.
"Where are they getting their data?" she asked, according to the
Free Press. "Not only does the left hand not know what the right
hand is doing, right now I don't think the left hand knows there
even is a right hand."
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "430 get layoff notices in Detroit,"
Oct. 24, 2006
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/NEWS01/610240366
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit teachers union wants more
money," June 27, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7798
Michigan Education Digest, "Study: Detroit graduation rate worst
in the nation," June 27, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7798
SURVEY: TEACHER SATISFACTION AT 20-YEAR HIGH
NEW YORK — A yearly survey conducted by MetLife shows teacher
satisfaction is at a 20-year high, according to Education Week.
The survey, titled "MetLife Survey of the American Teacher:
Expectations and Experiences," was first conducted in 1984. The
2006 survey included a representative sample of 1,001 public
school teachers and was conducted in March.
Some 56 percent of teachers surveyed said they are "very
satisfied" with their career, compared to 40 percent in 1984,
Education Week reported.
About one-quarter of those polled said they plan to leave
teaching in the next five years.
"It's very concerning that of the veteran teachers, many of them
say they plan to leave in the next five years," Sibyl Jacobson,
president of the MetLife Foundation, told Education Week. "Whether that's from demographics, burn-out, I'm not sure. But I do know that is a warning sign, particularly because we have a need for teachers and a need to retain teachers."
Education Week did not address how many of the veteran teachers
who say they planned to leave in the next five years would do so
through retirement.
The survey found that teachers say they leave because of unmet
expectations, lack of training and lack of support from fellow
teachers and principals.
SOURCES:
Education Week, "Teacher Satisfaction at 20-year High, MetLife
Survey Finds," Oct. 18, 2006
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/10/18/08metlife.h26.html?qs=MetLife+survey
"MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Expectations and
Experiences," October 2006
http://www.metlife.com/WPSAssets/81821402701160505871V1F2006MetLifeTeacherSurvey.pdf
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Chicago principals say parents should
rate teachers," March 30, 2004
http://www.educationreport.org/6482
Michigan Education Digest, "Teachers often scapegoats, says
survey," June 10, 2003
http://www.educationreport.org/5442
BIRCH RUN TAXPAYERS QUESTION SCHOOL LAND BUY
BIRCH RUN, Mich. — Taxpayers in the Birch Run school district are
questioning why the board of education voted to spend $193,000
for property it doesn't plan to use, according to The Saginaw
News.
The board recently voted to buy 72 acres near the high school.
"We are constantly being told you have nothing to spare," Linda
Taylor told the board, The News reported. "What's first, land or
children's needs? You make investments when you have money to
spare."
Board President Rodney McNalley told The News the board thinks it
is a sound investment.
"We haven't spent any money, we've transferred assets," McNalley
told The News. "It made sense for us."
McNalley said the district traded cash for real property, and
that the property will not depreciate.
SOURCE:
The Saginaw News, "Land buy upsets residents," Oct. 17, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-20/116109136987110.xml?sanews?NECN&coll=9
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Canton subdivisions petition to
switch school districts," Feb. 18, 2003
http://www.educationreport.org/5035
HOME-SCHOOLED STUDENT WINS MLK WRITING CONTEST
FLINT, Mich. — A home-schooled teen from Flint is one of 50
nationwide winners in an essay contest sponsored by the Martin
Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, according
to The Flint Journal.
Emily West, 15, wrote in her essay on "Your Dream for America,"
that she hopes every person can fulfill their dream, no matter
their background or income.
West has been invited to a Nov. 13 groundbreaking ceremony for
the $100 million King memorial in Washington, The Journal
reported. More than 3,000 students entered the contest.
"I think he was amazing — he's definitely one of my role models,"
West said of King. "He knew what he was fighting for and wasn't
ashamed of it. That's why I look up to him."
SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Home-schooled teen has write stuff,"
Oct. 17, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-39/1161094849221300.xml?fljournal?NEF&coll=5
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Home-schooled student gets academic
scholarship," Sept. 26, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7946
Michigan Education Report, "Pioneering new methods in education;
Jackson home schoolers share resources, knowledge," Sept. 6, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7911
Michigan Education Report, "Home schooling in Detroit;
responsibility and unique preparation," Dec. 15, 2005
http://www.educationreport.org/7492
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
http://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 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
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