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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
August 5, 2008

Contents of this issue:
  • Legislature votes to allow more charter schools in Detroit
  • Muskegon charter recognized for student achievement
  • Quincy teachers won't bargain to save jobs
  • Public school competing for charter students
  • Finding Algebra in Fashion Design
LEGISLATURE VOTES TO ALLOW MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN DETROIT
DETROIT — The state House of Representatives voted to pass a Senate bill that will let Detroit Public Schools keep its "first-class" status, while at the same time allow more charter public schools in the district, according to The Michigan Citizen.

Representatives from Detroit pushed the Legislature to redefine a "first-class" district as one with more than 60,000 students, as opposed to the previous definition of at least 100,000 students. DPS projects enrollment of about 94,000 for the coming school year, The Citizen reported.

"The white Democratic Party power structure supported the bill," said Steve Conn, a teacher who organized a rally against the bill, according to The Citizen. "But we plan to continue the fight to overturn its provisions, and expect the Detroit Federation of Teachers to organize a larger rally in the fall to stop the charter school invasion."

SOURCE:
The Michigan Citizen, "Bi-partisan charter school advocates prevail in Lansing," July 28, 2008
http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=6323&sc=1070& hn=michigancitizen&he=.com

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "First class or 21st century: Don't pass up chance to reform Detroit Public Schools," July 14, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9659

MUSKEGON CHARTER RECOGNIZED FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
MUSKEGON, Mich. — WayPoint Academy in Muskegon received recognition for continuous academic improvement and decreasing the achievement gap between student groups, according to The Muskegon Chronicle.

The school was selected for the Title I Distinguished Schools Program by the Michigan Department of Education and will receive an award at a national conference in Nashville, Tenn. One other Michigan school, Campau Park in Grand Rapids, received the honor, The Chronicle reported.

Students at WayPoint Academy increased math proficiency by 25 percent and English Language Arts proficiency by 19 percent from 2005-2006 to 2006-2007. The school opened in 2001 and is chartered by Grand Valley State University, according to The Chronicle.

SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Charter school recognized for achievement," Aug. 4, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/08/charter_school_recognized_for.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Are charter schools improving student performance? Yes," Nov. 17, 2002
http://www.educationreport.org/4857
QUINCY TEACHERS WON'T BARGAIN TO SAVE JOBS
QUINCY, Mich. — The Quincy teachers union voted 60-21 against contract concessions that could have saved the jobs of fellow school employees, according to the Hillsdale Daily News.

Quincy Public Schools must cut about $536,000 from its 2008-2009 budget and had asked the teachers union to reopen its contract. The district's curriculum director, seven teachers and four paraprofessionals will be cut to help the district reduce its overspending crisis, the Daily News reported.

SOURCE:
Hillsdale Daily News, "Quincy teachers won't trade freeze for spared jobs," July 29, 2008
http://www.hillsdale.net/news/x2043518677/Quincy-teachers-won-t-trade-freeze-for-spared-jobs

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Contract Out School Services Before Laying Off Teachers," Nov. 20, 2003
http://www.mackinac.org/5948

PUBLIC SCHOOL COMPETING FOR CHARTER STUDENTS
MUSKEGON, Mich. — Muskegon Public Schools is hoping to enroll most of the students living in its district who formerly attended a now-closed charter public school, according to The Muskegon Chronicle.

The district sent letters to about 65 families whose children are assigned to the district but had instead chosen Tri-Valley Academy. About 190 students attended the charter public school last year, but it closed after Grand Valley State University refused to reauthorize it, due mainly to low test scores, The Chronicle reported.

Three Oaks Public School Academy, run by the same management company that oversaw Tri-Valley, expect about 100 former Tri-Valley students to enroll at Three Oaks, according to The Chronicle.

SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Muskegon schools trying to attract former Tri-Valley Academy students," Aug. 4, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/08/muskegon_schools_trying_to_att.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Charter school closing seen as success for charter movement," April 2, 2002
http://www.educationreport.org/4180

FINDING ALGEBRA IN FASHION DESIGN
LIVONIA, Mich. — Looking for a way to take care of that pesky algebra II requirement and still get a head start on a career?

Dr. Janet Haas thought so.

That's why, as of this fall, the Livonia Career Technical Center will pilot a program that weaves advanced math into subjects like building trades, medicine and marketing, enabling students to study both subjects concurrently. Beginning the following year, students who successfully complete such a class will be eligible to receive half a credit in algebra II.

Haas sees it as a win-win: Students earn math credit in a setting that interests them, and the center protects its enrollment.

"That's the only way you're going to survive the high school requirements," Haas, the school principal, said in an interview in her office.

By survive, Haas means finding a way for students to continue taking career education courses and still meet the state's new graduation mandates. One way is to mesh the two: offering English through fashion design, math through automotive engineering and biology through cosmetology.

SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "Finding algebra in fashion design," Aug. 5, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9706

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Program links education, industry to answer workforce needs," Aug. 15, 2007
http://www.educationreport.org/8825

Michigan Education Report, "Michigan's economic future: Is a four-year degree the only answer?" May 24, 2007
http://www.mackinac.org/8505

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

Related Topics: Education
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

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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 >>