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Fewer School Districts Borrowing to Cover Expenses, But Pension Debt Rising
State gives more with one hand, takes more with the other
… million in 2015. That’s a $6.7 million increase in just one year.
At the end of the 2014-15 school year, there were 41 districts in deficit. One charter school in deficit closed at the end of 2014-15, leaving 40 schools in deficit in the recently completed school year. Of those 40, 18 are projecting … more
School Choice on the National Stage
How Can New Education Secretary Best Advance Opportunities?
… students ($459 million in 2016-17) and those with special needs ($441 million in 2016-17). Most of those dollars are earmarked for school districts and charter schools, not families and students who need extra help.
There is a compelling case to ramp up educational opportunity now; many students cannot afford … more
How Education Secretary DeVos Could Help Michigan Advance Choice
Two federal proposals that avoid dangerous overreach
… will come on Jan. 11, when the U.S. Senate will hold its confirmation hearing.
Critics have repeatedly missed the mark about the record of Michigan charter schools that DeVos’ high-profile policy advocacy has helped to shape. Meanwhile, supporters of school choice have speculated about what she could … more
State Superintendent Claims First-Year Teachers Make $28K—We Can't Find Them
CapCon has reviewed hundreds of contracts; never seen salaries that low
… school teacher is paid that amount, it would be an extremely rare instance. There were 540 Michigan public school districts in 2015-16, not counting charter schools. Michigan Capitol Confidential has reviewed hundreds of those districts’ union contracts and has not yet seen a starting salary under $30,000. … more
Detroit Redefines 'Annual' To Take Much Bigger Income Tax Bite From Pro Athletes
Pistons players about to get skinned
… to Detroit on Thursday and played games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Giants held a team practice at Comerica Park on Monday and left via a charter flight to that next town.
That player would owe $377.08 in city income tax based on five “city” days out of a roster of 178 actual “duty days” on … more
The Legislative Clock is Ticking
It's time for free-market reformers to act
… economic development flagship bureaucracy known as the Michigan Economic Growth Authority. They also lifted restrictions on the number of public charter schools, eliminated the item-pricing law that required retailers to tag individual items and banned the use of tenure to protect bad teachers. Finally, … more
The Legislative Clock is Ticking
It’s time for free-market reformers to act
… flagship of the state’s economic development bureaucracy, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority. They also lifted restrictions on the number of public charter schools, eliminated the item-pricing law that required retailers to tag individual items and banned the use of tenure to protect bad teachers. Finally, … more
Michigan Democrats Vote to Give Detroit Schools Money for Students Who Don't Go There
Budget amendment had full support of Democratic Senate
… years.
The state of Michigan has never closed a Detroit public school due to academics. But many have closed due to the student exodus, and some charter schools in the city have been closed for academic reasons. more
Let Local Schools Decide Their Calendars
More districts seeking freedom from Labor Day mandate
… start the academic year before Labor Day.
The Detroit News reported that the number of local school districts, intermediate school districts and charter schools seeking calendar waivers from the Michigan Department of Education nearly doubled – from 67 in 2016 to 123 this year. The number of districts … more
How to Strike a Balance on Short-Term Rentals
Cities should enforce existing regulations, not ban rentals all together
… The Detroit News both did good pieces recently on the issue. The News captured one woman who spoke of a horror story:
“Pauline Smith of White Lake Charter Township in Oakland County lives on property that has been in her family since 1925. She said her street changed two years ago when someone she does … more
Michigan Local Governments Have Self-Inflicted Financial Problems
It’s up to them to stop adding retiree debt
… governments have a problem, however. The Michigan Treasury Department gathered data on 363 of the state’s general purpose governments — cities, villages, charter townships and counties. There are 46 governments — 13 percent of the total — that either did not offer retiree health insurance benefits to their … more
Michigan Local Governments Have Self-Inflicted Financial Problems
It’s up to them to stop adding retiree debt
… governments have a problem, however. The Michigan Treasury Department gathered data on 363 of the state’s general purpose governments — cities, villages, charter townships and counties. There are 46 governments — 13 percent of the total — that either did not offer retiree health insurance benefits to their … more
A Political Fiction that Won’t Go Away
Candidates wrongly claim state education funds have been cut
… the foundation allowance, the guaranteed minimum revenue that districts get for each student. The state assigns these core dollars to districts and charter schools based strictly on the number of students who enroll.
Media reports have done little to inform people that lawmakers increased the foundation … more
Fewer Parents Taking Education for Granted
Surveys highlight growing involvement, diverse goals
… to find effective learning options with less need to make disruptive changes in employment or residence. The share of Michigan parents accessing charter schools and districts outside where they live continues to grow, nearing one in four of the state's public school students take advantage of these … more
Law Requires Public Schools To Report Bullying, Not All Do
With 50,000 students, Detroit reports just five incidents
… required to submit to the department under a bill that became law in 2014.
There were 200 school districts out of 888 traditional school districts and charter school buildings that reported no incidents of bullying in 2017-18. Some of these reports were inaccurate or erroneous. For example, Grand Rapids … more
Regulated Enough? Bill Imposes Licensing Mandate on Hunting, Fishing Guides
Current guides say state should enforce existing rules, not write new ones
… not to be publicly identified, remain skeptical, especially about the state’s commitment to enforcement.
Fraley said he also guides inland fishing charters in Alaska, which for many years required regular harvest reports. In 2019, Alaska is dropping the requirement, he said.
“I don’t think it worked … more
Private School Decline May Be Overstated
Families need more, not fewer, education options
… on potential benefits by having less access to an array of educational options. He also makes a case that the availability of tuition-free public charter schools may be drawing many away from private schools.
Today, many Michigan families sacrifice to pay tuition, helping to keep many private schools … more
Whitmer Ran On Road Repair Promise, But Will Spend Less To Fix Them Than Last Year
$40 million less; her one suggestion was a steep gas tax hike
… spending across state government.
Many of the vetoes were intended to pressure Republican lawmakers, such as a $35 million cut to new money for charter schools. But the reaction of the GOP House and Senate caucuses was summed up a few days later when both the Senate majority leader and the House Speaker … more
Doubling Down on Government Preschool
New Whitmer pre-K proposal would further restrict family options
… the service directly, though also with the option to “contract with local governments.” No mention is made of any kind of private entity, or even charter school, as a possible pre-K provider.
In other words, Gov. Whitmer is doubling down on her request to increase state preschool subsidies. This despite … more
Congress Should Unlock 529 Accounts for At-Home Learning
Coalition urges expanded use of tax-advantaged education plan
… challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. They opened up the national treasury with CARES Act payments that primarily support school districts and charter schools. But as schoolhouse doors stay shut, any additional federal response should also include direct relief toward families as they support their … more
Only 5% of Detroit 8th graders read at proficient level
A review of NAEP scores for Michigan’s largest district confirms the need for education reform
… money per student compared to the state and national average since 1994. The district’s revenue in 2021-2022 totaled just under $1 billion. Detroit charter schools consistently receive less funding per student than schools in the Detroit district, and they perform better. More funding does not appear … more
In Michigan, central planning is not the path to freedom
If you disagree with elected officials, there is a process for that. Not so much for bureaucrats.
… reason alone a farm owner has to turn away opportunity to make hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
What about the farmer?
When the people of Green Charter Township disagreed with their board’s support for the Gotion project, they launched a recall effort. Five officials were recalled and two others resigned … more
State superintendent asks Michigan lawmakers for home school registry
Homeschool registry presented as safety issue, though officials cite no data
… letter to lawmakers requesting the state registration.
Rice noted there are four buckets of educational programs in the state: Public (including charter schools), private, parochial and homeschools. He says the state should have a record of all children enrolled in all educational programs, for reasons … more
2011 MichiganVotes.org Roll Call Highlights
… Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No" in the House
Senate Bill 618, Eliminate charter school cap: Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate; Passed 58 to 49 in the House
To eliminate the cap of 150 on the number of charter schools that can be authorized by state universities, starting in 2015 … more
June 8, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call
… "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 620, Authorize “parent trigger” charter school conversion of failing schools: Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate
To … lowest-achieving 5 percent of schools statewide to be essentially converted into a charter school if 60 percent of the parents sign a petition requesting this, or … more
Details Behind Push For 'Mystery Project' Begin To Surface
Legislator says funding for unknown projects not unusual in Michigan
… experience different from what they get through regular public schools, charter public schools and Intermediate School Districts.
"It would be significantly … said.
Zandstra said that Sen. Jansen's name should not have been on the charter school application, which raised some concerns and confusion.
"I think … more
Proposal Would Let Special Needs Children Attend Private School with Public Money
But it can’t be done without amending the state constitution
… their children be home schooled, 10 percent prefer their children attend charter schools and 1 percent prefer virtual schools.
But what’s actually occurring … public schools, 9.2 percent go to private schools, 4.3 percent are in charter schools, and 3.1 percent are home schooled.
“Public schools are not directly … more
Government Internet Coming to Traverse City
Taxpayers on the hook for risky broadband plan
… the service when the private service isn’t stepping in,” Arends said. “Charter, our biggest cable company here, has no intentions of providing fiber to … the utility’s fund balance.
William Morand, the regional spokesman for Charter Communications, called the proposal “a solution in search of a problem.” … more
Washtenaw County Township Builds Internet Service
Most local projects aren’t self-sustaining; township cites its unique topography as a justification
… Township residents: Great Lakes High Speed, which serves 100 homes, and Charter Communications, which serves 10 to 20 homes.
Recent academic research … per second, the current minimum speed of broadband internet service. Charter’s Spectrum service averages 52 megabits per second, but it is only available … more
Competitive Contracting at Public Schools
MEA Committed to Defeating Privatization
… districts, substitute teachers are now leased from for-profit companies, as are school counselors and psychologists.
"And don’t forget about public charter schools, where management companies have received millions of dollars over the years to supply classroom teachers.
"MEA is committed to helping members … more
Water Wars
In 2001, the governors of states and premiers of Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes region reached an agreement on a charter for dealing with Great Lakes water issues. In order to be binding, it must be put into statute by each of the seven states and two provinces as well as the federal government. … more
Black Holes and Plankton Research Get Stimulus Spending
… agencies."
And some of the research wouldn't have been funded had it not been for the federal stimulus program.
According to an e-mail from Caryn Charter, associate director of the officer of research development at Eastern Michigan University, one of their research grants was originally rejected by … more
MEA Wounds Governor’s School Pension Reform
… Education Association union.
Described here in a previous story was one of those poison pills - a provision that would financially cripple many charter schools by forcing them to pay regular assessments into the underfunded traditional pension system of the regular schools, and to enroll their employees … more
Stimulus Spending Goes to Black Holes
… agencies."
And some of the research wouldn't have been funded had it not been for the federal stimulus program.
According to an e-mail from Caryn Charter, associate director of the officer of research development at Eastern Michigan University, one of their research grants was originally rejected by … more
Voter Scorecard Designed to 'Make Lansing Listen'
… require the Department of Corrections to seek competitive bids and privatize one prison.
A bill that made it easier to prevent increasing the number of charter schools in Detroit.
A budget bill that cut state revenue sharing payments to local governments as a way to balance the budget without raising taxes. … more
The Conservative Evolution of Randy Richardville
The future majority leader of the Michigan Senate wants his critics to know that he is no liberal
… Wealth in American Politics
School Pensions Sucking Up Per Pupil Cash
School Pension Reform Stalls in Senate
Breaking News: House Vote Would Force Charter Schools Into Underfunded Pension System
Legislators Link Common-Sense Reforms to Tax Hikes
New GOP House Candidate Is One of Top Recipients for … more
Michigan Teacher Pay 16.5 Percent Higher Than Indiana
Paying teachers wages comparable to Indiana's could save $780 million annually
… Liabilities, $66.3 Million in Dues
School Pensions Sucking Up Per Pupil Cash
School Pension Reform Stalls in Senate
Breaking News: House Vote Would Force Charter Schools Into Underfunded Pension System
Legislators Link Common-Sense Reforms to Tax Hikes
Focus is on state employee benefits
Why Colorado Matters … more
Reforming Compensation at State Universities is Tricky Due to State Constitution
… Duck Season in Congress?
School Pensions Sucking Up Per Pupil Cash
School Pension Reform Stalls in Senate
Breaking News: House Vote Would Force Charter Schools Into Underfunded Pension System
Legislators Link Common-Sense Reforms to Tax Hikes more
A Virtual Learning Revolution
… GenNET and MVS courses cost a significant amount less than what brick-and-mortar schools spend for similar offerings.
Michigan also has two virtual charter schools that serve students in grades K-12 from all around the state. These two schools began operating last fall and quickly filled their legislatively … more
Will Teacher Right-to-Work Die With The Recall Election of Rep. Paul Scott?
… Soldiers Don’t Have Unions, Why Do Police and Teachers?
Senate Leader Supports Right-to-Work Law For Teachers
Recall Retaliation? Senate Pushes Charter School Cap Repeal & 'Union-Unfriendly' Reforms
Commentary: Should Teachers be Treated Less Professionally than Linebackers?
Professionalizing the … more
Interview With New House Education Committee Chairman, State Rep. Tom McMillin
"We won't be bullied...we're pushing ahead"
… ahead with our efforts to make sure education in Michigan focuses on what's best for the kids. We're still going to be moving forward on issues like charter schools and cyber schools and addressing failing schools.
“Our focus will be on the kids. It's no longer going to be about doing things to satisfy … more
The Legislature Must Fix Teacher Pensions the Right Way
… inflate the salaries used in determining their pension’s value by cashing in on paid leave at the end of their careers. No, it wasn’t the rise of charter public schools and school contracting. All of these have been pointed at by politicians as culprits for underfunding, but these all can be accounted … more
EAA Bill Has Problems
But Grand Rapids carve-out not one of them
… aspect of the EAA bill is that it introduces accountability to a public education system that has operated with little during the past decades. Though charter public schools face closure if they are unsuccessful, this is very rare for conventional public school districts.
Thanks to increased educational opportunities for … more
School District Late To Make Changes
Taylor School District has 20-year history of declining enrollment; hasn't cut spending to match
… students. "That is what happened in Highland Park. That is what happened to Muskegon Heights."
Both Highland Park and Muskegon Heights were turned into charter public schools after the state appointed emergency managers to take over the districts.
Van Beek said it would have been better to just sign a one-year … more
Dissolved School District Repeatedly Overspent Despite Deficits
Dems blame Gov. Snyder, but Inkster approved 14 percent raises and paid 100 percent of health insurance
… situation of financial insolvency, it's more than just an issue of 'mismanagement.' Decreased enrollment due to the proliferation of online and charter schools, coupled with a $2 billion cut to public education in the last two years has done little to help our public schools make ends meet."
The … more
Study: Michigan School Rankings Mostly Measure Poverty, Not Quality
Mackinac Center report recommends greater emphasis on student growth
… to state and federal requirements, low-ranked schools can be forced to fire the school principal, replace the majority of the staff, convert to a charter school or even close the building.
A hypothetical situation helps explain how this could happen to a good school: Say a school serves students who … more
MEDC Boss Says Agency Changing; Has Long History of Backing Bad Companies
A look back at five MEDC-backed failures
… August 2013, it was reported that Valero Energy, which was supposed to provide up to $50 million in financing for the Mascoma facility in Kinross Charter Township, was no longer involved in the project.
In Mascoma's filing with the SEC, Mascoma lists as a risk factor that it has "no experience in the … more
Michigan Needs to Choose School Choice
… received disappointing, but expected news: The Center for Education Reform gave the state a score of '0' for its school choice policies.
Though charter public schools provide choice to approximately 10 percent of Michigan public school students, our state is the only one in the nation to hold the … more
Commentary: A Legislative Agenda for 2014
Get back to the 2011 and 2012 reform agenda.
… state tax dollars directly to the school pension fund rather than passing them through school districts. This is harming innovative and successful charter public schools and generating mischievous political games related to how much the state is spending on public education.
-- Repeal Michigan's minimum … more
Happy Anniversary Proposal A
… neighboring school district that has space. Because under the new system money follows individual students to the district their parents choose (or to the charter public school, another subsequent innovation), schools have a sharp incentive to raise their game: If a student walks from his local district, the … more
Non-Christians Given 'Special Consideration' In Union Teacher Contract
Ferndale Public Schools provision could violate state and federal laws
… Districts Breaking Law on Transparency
How CapCon Uses Transparency Laws To Hold Government Accountable
School Districts, Union Working To Try and Ban Charter Schools
Unions, Government Entities Team Up to Try and Keep Information From Citizens more
Legislative Reforms in 2013 Leave Much to be Desired
… Vista in Saginaw County and Inkster in Wayne County) and assigned their students (and tax revenues) to surrounding districts. (Converting them into charter public schools would have been better.)
Unemployment insurance reform. Most people support unemployment benefits funded by payroll taxes imposed … more
State Rep: School Districts Willfully Violating Law Should Face 'Criminal Charges'
… Districts Breaking Law on Transparency
How CapCon Uses Transparency Laws To Hold Government Accountable
School Districts, Union Working To Try and Ban Charter Schools
Unions, Government Entities Team Up to Try and Keep Information From Citizens more
A Center-Right Candidate Questionnaire that Digs Deeper
…
Will you vote "yes" on measures that increase school choice for parents, even if these shift resources from conventional public school districts to charter public schools and other innovative alternatives (like online cyber-schools)?
Do you believe Michigan's public schools need more money, despite studies … more
Teachers’ Window of Opportunity Is Now Open
… more educational choices. And yet, a 2013 survey of public school teachers commissioned by Education Next found that more than 40 percent support charter public schools. The survey also found that almost a third of public school teachers believe that teacher unions have a negative effect on schools. … more
Group Seeks to Put Term Limits on Grand Rapids Mayor, City Commissioners
A video report
… post cards in which the phrase “term limits” is noticeably absent. Instead the card urges voters to “protect your vote” and not to “change the local charter.” The group did not respond to a request for comment.
None of this pushback surprises Paul Jacob, who sits on the board of directors of the U.S Term … more
Is This School One of the Best in Michigan or One of the Worst?
New report card shows the differences in how schools are measured
… Performance
Flawed State Rankings Mean Some Principals Are Out of a Job
State Education Department Gives a Pass to Failing Districts; Punishes Charters
New Report Card Compares High School Test Scores and Adjusts For Economic Status
New Report Card Measures Elementary and Middle School Performance … more
May Sales Tax Proposal Explained
… fund while excluding public universities from receiving school aid fund money, which is primarily used to pay for conventional school districts and charter public schools. It further adds a number of community college programs that have yet to be created to the acceptable uses of the fund.
There are … more
Affluent School Districts Don't Guarantee Better Academic Performance
… low-performing public schools need options right now, not some time in the future, and that means more school choice opportunities, including more charter schools, digital learning, school vouchers and tuition tax credits.
“The school choice model has worked in struggling urban areas. There is no reason … more
Teacher Evaluations in Michigan Public Schools: One Size Fits All
Less than 1 percent of teachers are deemed 'ineffective' in 2013-14
… percent of Michigan's public schoolteachers were considered to be “ineffective” according to performance evaluations conducted by the nearly 900 charter and conventional school districts in the state.
Those assessments appear at odds with the actual academic performance of students, and teacher evaluations … more
The Real Story About Highland Park Schools
Not easy to turn around long-lasting damage from mismanagement
… coverage was the corruption and fiscal mismanagement by school officials that led to the district being taken over by an emergency manager and then the charter school operator The Leona Group.
Recently, one Highland Park administrator called the closing “a travesty.”
"These children have been in Highland … more
It is Fine to Get Detroit Out of the School Pension System
Other districts already pay for Detroit's liabilities
… legislators to consider in finding a solution for Detroit — getting rid of geographically assigned schools and possibly converting the district to a charter district, to cite two possibilities — and their impact on short-term retirement contribution rates should sidetrack such discussions. more
D.C. Schools Spending Highest in U.S., But Firm Claims It’s 'Inadequate'
Group hired to study Michigan school funding has mantra of saying schools need more
… law, the District must provide operating funds through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula, its primary local funding” to both DCPS and public charter schools. Meeting this obligation requires additional resources because of past differences in funding between the sectors.
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See also:
Firm … more
No School Funding System Adequate to Manage Large Student Declines
Benton Harbor student funding 27 percent above state average
… While the conventional public school district offers a subpar education and is losing students, enrollment has risen at Countryside Academy, a public charter school, from 529 students in 2007-08 to 634 last year.
Benton Harbor middle and high school received D grades from the Mackinac Center for Public … more
School Choice Opponents Pick Institutions Over Special Needs Families
Students with special needs should have access to real choices
… scholarships happier, but they offer hope for other special-needs students as well.
Of 42 peer-reviewed studies conducted on the competitive effects of charters, vouchers, and scholarship tax credits, 20 have found a definitive positive impact on neighboring public schools, with 11 more showing somewhat positive … more
MSU Scholar Ignores School Revenue Sources
Says revenue has been cut
… the current arrangement harms districts that are losing students; they specifically blame state policies that allow families to leave for public charter schools or other nearby districts. Getting 10 percent of funds based on last year’s students is not enough to cope with continuing financial obligations … more
DeVos Attacked For Supporting Free Speech, Due Process On Campus
Group she supported exposed the checkered free-speech record of Michigan universities
… President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for education secretary, has been under heavy criticism by the media for her work promoting school choice and charter schools in Michigan.
In a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, DeVos was asked about a civil liberties group she had donated to known for … more
A Better Way to Rank Schools
… Michigan’s School Reform Office released the names of 38 schools that have been stuck in the bottom 5 percent for three straight years. The three charter schools on the list have been closed or will be closed by the summer. For the first time, conventional district schools could face the same sanction … more
Study Suggests Segregation Hurting Battle Creek Schools’ Budget
Data shows Battle Creek funding higher than state average and surrounding schools
… according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and 35 percent of the students enrolled in Battle Creek Public Schools this year are white. Nearby Pennfield Charter Township is 93 percent white, and 82 percent of the students enrolled in Pennfield Schools are white.
During the 19-year period from 1997-98 to 2015-16, … more
Detroit Can Fill Teacher Shortages
Credentials, compensation offer keys to solve problem
… have received the top mark on a four-tier rating system, with 96 percent getting either a “highly effective” or “effective” rating. Among Detroit charters – which outperform the district, according to multiple measures – those figures are considerably smaller: 19 percent and 86 percent, respectively. … more
Where’s Teacher Shortage School Districts Claim?
Some specialized positions hard to fill, but some openings get hundreds of applicants
… see the entire email.)
Dearborn Public Schools said it uses an online application system that is shared with a consortium of schools districts and charters that work together and share an application process.
"We are very pleased with the ability of the system to recruit candidates and compile pools … more
Teacher Shortage in Detroit Calls For New Policies
… nearly succeeded last year.
Vitti has not ruled out the political approach, but he has emphasized the power of persuasion. “We are going to put charter schools out of business,” he said during his job interview. “Why and how? We’re going to offer a better product. If this is a marketplace, then we’re … more
Union Official Says Teachers In Second-Highest Paying District Need Second Jobs
Five of six English teachers in one district school get more than $82k
… teacher compensation is prescribed in union contracts and can be complex. Almost all teachers in Michigan’s conventional public schools (as opposed to charter schools) are governed by a union pay scale that bases pay level on seniority and the number of academic credentials an instructor has accumulated. … more
Rural School Makes Fast Rise
Akron-Fairgrove among most improved on Mackinac report card
… CAP Score improvement from the previous five-year period. (The two most-improved schools are a pair of former Detroit district schools converted to charter status under nonprofit management.)
Akron-Fairgrove Elementary's giant step up moved it into the top 1 percent of CAP Scores for all schools statewide. … more
If Money To Detroit Schools Is A Measure Of Caring, Michigan's People Care
Detroit Free Press column says racism built into our school system
… accounted for 24 percent of the $459.3 million the program allocated to all 865 public school districts within the state (a figure that includes charter schools). more
Respected Think Tank Shatters Michigan ‘Teacher Shortage’ Myth
Uncritical media has repeated this false teachers union claim
… a number of education reforms that were not popular with teachers unions. Those reforms included expanding public school choice by allowing more charter schools (which are almost exclusively nonunion) and prohibiting schools from using their payroll systems to deduct union dues from employee paychecks. … more
Despite Government Broadband’s Poor Record, Farmington Hills Considers It
Oakland County city already saturated with competing high-speed private providers
… municipal fiber-optic network in their communities.
Residents of Farmington and Farmington Hills can already purchase high-speed home internet from Charter Spectrum and AT&T. But Richard Lerner, a member of the Farmington Hills City Council, believes that current internet service isn’t adequate and the … more
Education Scholarship Proposal Would Open Doors For Parents, Schoolchildren
A new federal plan would help families exercise choice
… education plan; and
A single mother in poverty is able to pay for gas money or public transit to get her daughter to a high-performing district or charter school that's miles away.
The bill’s proponents have a difficult task ahead of them, but the scholarship proposal could open up opportunities for … more
Should Educator Evaluations Trust Data More?
Study raises questions about bias in judging teacher performance
… definitively prove bias, they do raise concerns both about the fairness and validity of classroom observations. According to state law, a district or charter school must dismiss teachers who receive the lowest rating on three consecutive annual evaluations. These cases have become vanishingly rare, however: … more
Overselling Whitmer’s Education Budget
Increase in line with years past, not 'game-changing' and 'historic'
… money for pensions can be used right alongside other school aid dollars to pay for the expenses of running a school district. (By contrast, most charter public schools do not participate in the state-run pension system and receive no state money to offer retirement income to their employees.)
The … more
Township Wants Higher Taxes to Pay for Optional Employment Benefit
Insurance premiums offered to employees after retirement not fully prefunded
… local governments to report to the state on their retirement systems, we warned that some local officials will abuse this process to hike taxes. The Charter Township of Bloomfield in Oakland County looks like it’s in the process of proving the point.
The township is proposing to let some of its property … more
Despite Bluster And Bullying, 32,208 Left Teachers Union Since Right-To-Work
MEA suffered another legal embarrassment this month
… school employees. Almost all regular school district employees are, as was the case then, in workplaces that have been organized by the MEA. Few charter schools are unionized, however, and Detroit teachers belong to an arm of the American Federation of Teachers.
The MEA stated in October 2013 that … more
State School Aid Deal Fits Decade-Long Upward Trend
Reapproved vetoed funds puts final budget above 10-year average
… state’s school aid budget, but some individual schools will be greatly relieved to see the extra money. The supplemental spending deal means public charter school students once again will receive formula funding on an equal footing with their district peers. Further, a handful of the state’s tiniest remote … more
More Talk, Less Action for Troubled School Districts?
Whitmer’s budget encourages creation of more committees
… five years since any eleventh grader in the district met state standards for college readiness, as more families either enroll their children in charter schools or other districts, or move out altogether. Reports have noted district officials’ prolonged trend of financial mismanagement and sloppy accounting, … more
Parents, Teachers Must Collaborate to Help Special-Needs Learners
Distance learning brings both challenges and opportunities
… digital tools, used in a partnership between schools and parents, offer the most likely path forward.
The governor’s order urges districts and public charter schools to move forward with formalized plans to complete the academic term using “alternative modes of instruction.” The situation is certainly not … more
Michigan’s Personal Income Tax During Pandemic
Pressure on tax revenues and the services the taxes pay for
… law, so they’re going to happen regardless of whether revenues decline. Another 27% of income tax revenue goes to conventional school districts and charter schools, with smaller amounts going to community colleges and state universities. Declines in revenue would mean less money for those institutions. … more
New Buffalo City Council Divides Residents Over Airbnb-Type Rentals
First they impose restrictions, then a moratorium
… permit to operate.
The lawsuit claims the moratorium was unlawfully adopted, violates property owners’ constitutional rights, and violates the city charter.
“My clients and many other property owners in New Buffalo are trying to comply with the ordinance, register short-term rentals, and obtain permits,” … more
U.S. Treasury Department passes on reviewing Gotion land deal
The federal government won’t review CCP-linked Gotion for national security concerns
… opted for the quicker review, which could be completed in 30 days. It did this by filing a document known as a voluntary declaration. The Big Rapids Charter Township Board emailed Michael H. Johnson, a lawyer representing Gotion, telling him the township was starting the more-involved notice process with … more
The Lowdown
… votes were selected, covering subjects as diverse as state spending, environmental regulations, energy policy, gun control, partial birth abortion, charter schools, taxes and more.
No Republican voted more liberal than any Democrat, and vice versa.
Sen. Jim Barcia, D-Bay City, ranked as MIRS' most … more
Government Unions: The Real Wealth in American Politics
… clout.
~~~~~
See also:
School Pensions Sucking Up Per Pupil Cash
School Pension Reform Stalls in Senate
Breaking News: House Vote Would Force Charter Schools Into Underfunded Pension System
Legislators Link Common-Sense Reforms to Tax Hikes
New GOP House Candidate Is One of Top Recipients for … more
Which Republicans Can Snyder Count on for K-12 Reform?
… threshold for keeping this status. Among other advantages, this would have meant that the district would retain the ability to keep keep out additional charter schools from competing with DPS. Democrat support for the bill was unanimous, and most Republicans were opposed.However, there were five GOP lawmakers … more
Back-to-School Daze
Can Public School Districts Require Parents to Buy Necessary School Supplies?
… may charge for extracurricular activities. The second document, a 2003 state Department of Education memo sent to every public school district and charter school, provides examples of items that the districts “must provide … free of charge” for required or elective courses, including “[p]encils, paper, … more
Tea Parties Search for U.S. Senate Candidate
… that might be more realistic,” Gamrat said.
GOP candidates considered realistically to be in the race include former Congressman Pete Hoekstra, charter school executive Clark Durant, former Kent County Probate Judge Randy Hekman, Roscommon businessman Peter Konetchy and American Family Association … more
Lawmaker Faces Recall in Region Adding Teachers and Losing Kids
… believe it's true. But one guy took the time to check on the bill that was mentioned, which was SB 618. He pointed out that the bill only pertains to charter schools. If we held the MEA accountable for the accuracy of their output, the way we do students, they'd flunk.”
But would the fact that these school … more
MichiganVotes Describes 25,000th Bill
Information in the hands of voters leads to accountability, oversight of legislator actions
… votes on tax increases. And the list is short enough that you can pick them out.
The same can be done with the category, "education," and keyword, "charter." You'll discover if the legislator favors school choice, or shares the position of the Michigan Education Association teachers' union. Other revealing … more
Commentary: Unions Cry Crocodile Tears Over Municipal Pensions
House Bill 4804 would make it easier for local governments to get out of defined benefit system
… would be able to decide, whereas current policies prevent this. That’s because collective bargaining agreements currently take precedence over local charter and ordinance provisions, making it impossible for citizens to prohibit them, and requiring local officials to get union buy-in for any changes. That’s … more
Mystery Project Almost Got $5.5 Million From Taxpayers
Funding for P20 project tied up with money losing real estate offering, corporate welfare
… days later it was reported that Sen. Jansen was listed as an "organizer" on an application to get Lake Superior State University to authorize a K-8 charter public school in Grand Rapids at the proposed site of the project.
"What seems bizarre is the apparent secrecy surrounding the proposal," said Jack … more
Not Pretty: 2013 Legislative Roundup
… Vista in Saginaw County and Inkster in Wayne County) and assigned their students (and tax revenues) to surrounding districts. (Converting them into charter public schools would have been better.)
Unemployment insurance reform: Most people support unemployment benefits funded by payroll taxes imposed … more
School Union Contracts Across The State Retain Clauses Calling For Hiring Based On Race
Ann Arbor, Oak Park, Kalamazoo and others have provisions
… Districts Breaking Law on Transparency
How CapCon Uses Transparency Laws To Hold Government Accountable
School Districts, Union Working To Try and Ban Charter Schools
Unions, Government Entities Team Up to Try and Keep Information From Citizens more
Michigan 8th Congressional District GOP Primary Getting Feisty
Former Sen. Mike Bishop vs. State Rep. Tom McMillin
… they could do that — though I think they would pay a price as businesses and citizens left to go to states with a more market-based system.”
The charter of the Export-Import Bank of the United States expires September of 2014. Neither candidate supports extending it.
The Ex-Im Bank is the export credit … more
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