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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
Thu., November 20, 2008
"Now three years old, the Kalamazoo Promise has had mixed results in its mission to send Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates to college." >>
Wed., November 19, 2008
"Grand Rapids and Holland public schools are reporting higher numbers of homeless students than last year and expect the figures to grow." >>
Tue., November 18, 2008
"Nineteen Detroit Public Schools teachers are running for election to leadership slots in the Detroit Federation of Teachers union on a school reform platform, according to The Detroit News. The teachers want to open their own charter school modeled after the Los Angeles Green Dot Schools." >>
Mon., November 17, 2008
"Teachers in Gaylord Community Schools have voted to replace the Michigan Educational Special Services Association with AmeraPlan as a third-party insurance administrator, saving the district about 25 percent on health care costs." >>
Sun., November 16, 2008
"A Spanish language teacher quit her job at Michigan Collegiate High School amid allegations that she had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student." >>
Sat., November 15, 2008
"Wyandotte Public Schools is attracting attention statewide for its 90 percent pass rate among algebra II students." >>
Fri., November 14, 2008
"Howell Public Schools maintenance employees have agreed to no pay raises and an increased co-pay for prescription medication in exchange for a commitment that their jobs will not be privatized." >>
User Comments
llsmith
Testing is not the answer. All it does is give the "teacher" a basis for determining a grade. And, we all know that grading and grades are circumspect. Rather, a more true measure of learning is when the learner (i.e., the "student" using traditional and aniquated terminology and stereotyping) wants to know more about a topic or issue. This expression of desire for more is an affirmation that the learner has mastered current concepts and material and now wants to move on. In this scenario no test nor grade is necessary. What should be necessary is for the provider (i.e., the "teacher") to have the next level or dimension of concepts and materials readily available to present and apply once the learner expresses the desire to move on.

What we need is a system that is designed to cater to this basal learning behavior and can be applied in real time. Take a look at the definitive treatment "Education in America -- What's to Be Done?" developed by Trigon-International. This commission report presents an end-to-end solution that is actionable and affordable. >>
samuel
$400 K, try $400 million >>
terrym2442
Thank you to Lorie Shane and Marcie Lipsitt for blowing off the cover, exposing one of Michigan's "dirty secrets."

As the parent of a child with special needs in Michigan, it's been an uphill battle since day one to get the APPROPRIATE services for my child. Sadly, the bar is held too low for our kids. Upon graduating, if the student is not capable of attending college, he/she is warehoused into post-secondary settings where formal academics are not offered. Perhaps if students had gotten proper academics when younger- taught by highly qualified teachers- many would have had the opportunity to move on and continue formal academics like their non-disabled peers, rather than be expected to dust shelves and bag groceries their whole lives.

Michigan's special eduation has and continues to fail our children.

>>
frick@mackinac.org
As a parent I see the value of a teacher with knowledge of both special ed methods and the subject matter. Do enough of them exist to go around? My guess is that many teachers who concentrated their schooling and training on special ed took fewer courses in subject matter (English, Mathematics, Science, etc.). There are limits on course load, number of years in college, and student finance.

As much as we want the best for every person, we are not going to have six teachers each an expert in their subject matter per one pupil. So in this world of limited resources, each person and our society have to decide how to use the resources we have. Hopefully a successful balance of flexibility and accountability can produce the desired results: educated children with the capacity to think and the ability to learn. >>
Carol
Michigan High School & the University deliver quality education to its
students & has maintained its standard with good caliber. The courses offered by the Michigan institutes are versatile and for future progress of the society and the students, it further enhances them to become excellent citizens!!
---------------------------
Carol
<a href="http://http://www.treatmentcenters.org/michigan">Michigan Treatment Centers</a>
>>
drgrenan
Thank you for your comments. I would be honored and proud to go to any school district or meeting to stand up for your/our children!! Just EMail me and I will be there or call me anytime at 616-8474282
Thank You, Dr Jack Grenan Educator and Cancer Survivor >>
ilifflij
Parents and teachers have not had a voice. The waivers used have allowed administrators of various Michigan schools to plunk in 20 - 25 students in a classroom of students with learning disabilities. As a special education teacher, I find it very difficult to meet the individual learning objectives of that many students. >>
rlboogren
This article presents excellent information. As the parent of a child with a disability I advocate for my son. Currently, there is no one to speak for all the children with disabilities in Michigan. There is no transparency of government. The position of State Superintendent is a dictatorship with the power to make all the decisions. As a parent, I cannot voice my concerns by voting. >>
Ferndale Eagle
Ferndale High School in Ferndale, Michigan succeeded in correcting the mistaken reporting of the Johns Hopkins University report that had included it as a "dropout factory" with poor "promoting power." The University researchers have acknowledged that Ferndale High School does not belong in this category and removed the school from the list because of the school district's high outward mobility (more students move out than move in during high school.). The high school has a three-year promoting power ration of 77% rather than the 50% reported in the Associated Press in October 2007, with the Class of 2006 having a 91% promoting power. Please visit Johns Hopkins' website for more clarification to see the "Schools Removed from the List of Weak Promoting Power High Schools: http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/images/Removed_from_List_5_14_08.pdf .

Also, visit www.ferndaleschools.org for info about the school district. >>
From Mackinac Blog
So you're not going to admit an anti-MESSA bias?

*wink* >>