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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
May 6, 2008

Contents of this issue:
  • Bay Mills accepting charter applications
  • School aid bill slow to move out of committee
  • Pinckney closing historic school
  • DPS to re-examine food services contract
  • Summer school — the new graduation requirement?

BAY MILLS ACCEPTING CHARTER APPLICATIONS
BRIMLEY, Mich. — Bay Mills Community College is accepting applications for new charter public high schools that would be aimed at serving urban areas across Michigan, according to the Detroit Examiner.

"The dropout problem in urban areas of Michigan is a serious issue in need of a solution," said Patrick Shannon, director of charter schools for BMCC, according to the Examiner. "The goal of Bay Mills Community College is to focus our efforts on providing opportunities for secondary public charter schools where they are needed the most."

BMCC authorizes 37 public charter schools that serve 15,000 students across Michigan, according to the Examiner.

SOURCE:
Detroit Examiner, "Bay Mills Community College Accepting Charter School Applications," May 5, 2008
http://www.examiner.com/p-159651~Bay_Mills_Community_College_Accepting_ Charter_School_Applications.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Court of Appeals rejects MEA suit over Bay Mills charters," Sept 6, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7898

SCHOOL AID BILL SLOW TO MOVE OUT OF COMMITTEE
LANSING, Mich. — The chairman of the House School Aid Budget Appropriations Committee said he is in "no hurry" to put the bill to a vote of the full House of Representatives, according to the Michigan Information & Research Service.

"I'm not concerned about putting it out before or after the May revenue estimating conference," Rep. Matt Gillard, D-Alpena, told MIRS.

Gillard has scheduled two weeks of hearings on the legislation, which has already passed the Michigan Senate, MIRS reported.

The Senate version would increase the amount the state Legislature spends on public schools by nearly $370 million to $13.38 billion, but is $140 million less than the amount Gov. Jennifer Granholm requested, according to MIRS.

SOURCE:
MIRS, "Gillard: No Rush on School Aid Budget," April 30, 2008
http://www.mirsnews.com/capsule.php?gid=985#15078
(subscription required)

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8534

PINCKNEY CLOSING HISTORIC SCHOOL
PINCKNEY, Mich. — Pinckney Community Schools is closing an elementary school built in 1901, according to the Lansing State Journal.

The district's proposed spending for the 2008-2009 school year is over budget by $1.9 million, the Journal reported. Hamburg Elementary School was built in 1901 and has been expanded three times. Students have been assigned to two of the district's other elementary schools, but may also opt to use the schools of choice program, according to the Journal.

SOURCE:
Lansing State Journal, "Pinckney will close school viewed as local landmark," May 6, 2008
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/ NEWS05/805060309/1006/NEWS05

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Pinckney schools consider contracting for janitorial services," April 15, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9391

DPS TO RE-EXAMINE FOOD SERVICES CONTRACT
DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools this week will vote on terminating its contract with the private firm that runs the district's food services, according to The Detroit News.

A board subcommittee has suggested getting rid of Philadelphia-based Aramark Education Services LLC, which has held the DPS contract since 2001, The News reported.

At least one union has accused Aramark of keeping $1 million that should have been given to the district, according to The News.

"There has been no evidence of any improper billing," Aramark spokeswoman Karen Cutler told The News.

The News also reported that the Michigan Department of Education has said Aramark is in "full compliance" with its contract.

SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Detroit school board to consider replacing food service provider," May 3, 2008
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080503/SCHOOLS/805030333

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A School Privatization Primer," June 26, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8691

SUMMER SCHOOL — THE NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENT?

MIDLAND, Mich., — As Michigan raises the bar on high school coursework, public school districts are spreading safety nets to catch students who can't quite reach it. Extra help? It's available before, during and after school. Homework question? Try the teacher's online hotline. Borderline grades? Mandatory math club awaits.

And when all else fails, including the student, school districts are offering second chances through summer school and online courses.

Educators across Michigan discuss how the new high school graduation requirements are playing out in their classrooms for a feature article at www.educationreport.org, an online publication of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "Graduation requirements: Michigan schools hope for the best, prepare for the worst," May 6, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9457

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Will a state-mandated high school curriculum of 18 credits ensure better-prepared students in the 21st century? Yes," March 7, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7635

Michigan Education Report, "Well-intentioned folly: 'High standards' may leave some behind," Feb. 29, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9299

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education Report (http://www.educationreport.org), an online 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

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to
http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=MED
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Wed., March 10, 2010
"Sara McLaren is taking a once-in-a-decade opportunity to tie the U.S. Census directly to her civics and social studies curriculum at Niles High School." >>
Wed., March 10, 2010
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Tue., March 9, 2010
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Tue., March 9, 2010
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Mon., March 8, 2010
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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 >>