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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
December 12, 2006

Contents of this issue:
  • Thirteen districts have budget surpluses
  • Districts could save money with private energy consultant
  • Parents, MDE concerned about restraining special needs students
  • Northville considers competitive contracting
  • Avondale moves elections to November
  • District bans bags in response to bomb threats
  • Win an iPod
THIRTEEN DISTRICTS HAVE BUDGET SURPLUSES
LANSING, Mich. — While many school districts in Michigan have been unable to control spending, 13 districts are reporting budget surpluses, according to the Michigan Information & Research Service, a Lansing based newsletter.

Verona, Colfax, Arvon, Sigel, Grant, Mackinac Island, Berlin, Easton, Bois Blanc Pines, Church and Bloomfield Township schools all have fund balances ranging from 93 to 199 percent. Common features among the districts are their small size and stable enrollment, according to MIRS.

SOURCE:
MIRS Capitol Capsule, "Thirteen Schools With Significant Cash Balances," Dec. 4, 2006 (subscription only)
http://www.mirsnews.com/capsule.php?gid=630#10002

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Ewen-Trout Creek Schools uncovers deficit," Dec. 5, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8104

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Budgets: A Crisis of Management, Not Finance," Feb. 11, 2005
http://www.mackinac.org/6980

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

DISTRICTS COULD SAVE MONEY WITH PRIVATE ENERGY CONSULTANT
ITHACA, Mich. — Ithaca Public Schools could save up to $40,000 in energy costs if other Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District schools decide to join it in an energy consortium headed by a private consultant, according to The Saginaw News.

IPS already has voted to join the consortium, while the other districts are planning to vote this month. The districts would collectively hire an "energy manager" from Energy Education Inc. of Wichita Falls, Texas, to analyze and make suggestions for reducing energy usage in each of the districts' buildings. Energy Education Inc. told the schools it could save them $3.9 million total over seven years, according to The News.

"There won't be significant savings to begin with because of start-up costs, but over the course of a year, there will be," Superintendent Charles Schnetzler told The News.

Forty districts in Michigan and 800 nationwide are cooperating with Energy Education Inc., The News reported.

SOURCE:
The Saginaw News, "Ithaca schools join energy consortium," Dec. 6, 2006
http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-21/1165415212317080.xml&coll=9

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Merrill schools move to alternative fuel," Nov. 7, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8059

Michigan Education Digest, "Private firm helps Battle Creek schools cut energy costs," July 19, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7817

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

PARENTS, MDE CONCERNED ABOUT RESTRAINING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS
LANSING, Mich. — The treatment of combative special education students is under the scrutiny of both parents and the Michigan Department of Education, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Two special education students died in 2003 while being restrained by staff members, causing the MDE to reconsider its policy on student seclusion and restraints. The plan under consideration would restrict the use of seclusion and restraints to emergency situations, ban the use of mechanical or chemical restraints, set time limits on seclusions, require training for school employees who may need to restrain or seclude students, as well as require stricter documentation of incidents where restraints or seclusion needed to be used, according to the Free Press.

The parents of the deceased children, as well as special-education advocates, are fighting for the complete elimination of these practices.

"Seclusion and restraint are cruel, inhumane and degrading practices. I don't think they belong in educational settings," State Board of Education member Elizabeth Bauer told the Free Press.

Blu Hintz of Midland is raising her grandson, Dustin, who has a form of Autism and spina bifida. She believes that restraint and seclusion are necessary to keep special education students in school.

"If children like Dustin aren't restrained, they have no other place to go," Hintz told the Free Press. "They would end up in an institution."

SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "A way to safely restrain students?" Dec. 8, 2006
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/NEWS06/612080435

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Parents concerned about padded room," Oct. 3, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7959

Michigan Education Digest, "Punishment box removed from Marshall school," May 16, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7704

NORTHVILLE CONSIDERS COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING
NORTHVILLE, Mich. — Northville Public Schools has decided to look into competitively contracting for some, or all, of its non-instructional services, according to the Northville Record.

It is too early in the process to estimate savings, but Northville is looking into contracting for its custodial, maintenance, food service and transportation services, so it can maintain current programs and staff, according to the Record.

"The district wants to maintain progress and class size and our good teachers," David Bolitho, Northville assistant superintendent for administrative services, told the Record.

Bolitho said districts like Garden City, which has reported it will save $800,000 to $1 million, show privatization works, according to the Record.

Tom White, executive director of the Michigan School Business Officials, encourages members to consider competitive contracting.

"Whether you like it or not, or whether you do it or not, you have to evaluate the option," he told the Record.

SOURCE:
Northville Record, "School district investigates privatization for cost-savings," Dec. 7, 2006
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/NEWS12/612070762/1029

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Beyond brooms, burgers and buses," Nov. 21, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8032

Michigan Education Digest, "Oakland County schools save money with competitive contracting," Oct. 3, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7959

Michigan Education Report, "Competitive contracting grows despite myths," Sept. 6, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7900

AVONDALE MOVES ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Starting next year, the Avondale School District will save about $30,000 a year by holding its elections in November of odd-numbered years, according to The Detroit News.

"We were told by going to November elections that our costs would be virtually nothing," Avondale Board of Education President Stephen Sucher told The News.

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Avondale schools set for odd-year voting," Dec. 7, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/SCHOOLS/612070356/1009/METRO02

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Rochester moves school board elections, lengthens terms," Nov. 14, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8067

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Secret Ballot?" May 22, 2006
http://www.mackinac.org/7708

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Voter's Checklist for School Elections," April 28, 2006
http://www.mackinac.org/7688

DISTRICT BANS BAGS IN RESPONSE TO BOMB THREATS
ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. — Lakeview High School has banned purses and backpacks from classrooms in response to several bomb threats it has received this school year, according to The Detroit News.

Purses and backpacks must be kept in lockers during the school day, which the district says will allow police to search the building more quickly when a bomb threat is received. The school had four such incidents in September and October, including one that forced an evacuation, The News reported.

"The kids really know it's an issue with safety," Principal Bob DuBois told The News. "They recognize the need. Are they happy about? No, but they're used to it."

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "School tells girls to bag the purses," Dec. 11, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061211/SCHOOLS/612110333/1026

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "School safety drill angers parents," Nov. 7, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8059

Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Protection: A Growing Industry Could Enhance School Safety," Nov. 16, 1998
http://www.mackinac.org/802

WIN AN IPOD
MIDLAND, Mich. — Michigan Education Report is offering readers a chance to win an iPod when they comment on articles in its Winter 2006 issue. Comments can be made via e-mail about stories on alternative teacher certification, successful public school reform and Michigan's cap on charter public schools. Please visit www.educationreport.org for more information.

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 Sarah Grether at
mailto:med@educationreport.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to
http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=wwwMED
Michigan Education Daily
Tue., March 16, 2010
"Most of the country's public schools would have more freedom under a proposed rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law." >>
Tue., March 16, 2010
"Reading scores improved in all grades, and math scores in most grades, while science and social studies scores dipped slightly on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program tests taken in fall of 2009." >>
Mon., March 15, 2010
"Some parents who attended a South Redford School District forum recently called on teachers to make wage or benefit concessions as a way to protect school programs." >>
Sun., March 14, 2010
"An ambitious proposal to overhaul Detroit Public Schools ran into opposition Thursday over the issue of dissolving the school board and allowing Mayor Dave Bing to take charge." >>
Sat., March 13, 2010
"At least 14 public school districts in the Muskegon area offer some type of alternative education, either on their own or through a consortium, but the programs are under both budget and academic pressure." >>
Fri., March 12, 2010
"Michigan voters may see a ballot initiative in August asking them to approve a sales tax on services, with the understanding that their approval would also mean education spending reform, the chairman of the House Education Committee said Wednesday." >>
Thu., March 11, 2010
"All Flint Community Schools administrators, including members of the superintendent's cabinet, are likely to receive layoff notices this spring, though the majority could be back next year." >>
User Comments
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 >>
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/


>>
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.
>>
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?
>>
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 >>