![[Photo of Michael Van Beek]](/media/images/people/VanBeek150x200.jpg)
Michael Van Beek
Director of Education Policy
Michael Van Beek joined the Mackinac Center in June 2009 as director of education policy. In this position, Van Beek oversees the Center's education research and publications, including Michigan Education Digest and Michigan Education Report.
For four years prior to working at the Center, Van Beek taught political philosophy, government, economics and history at North Hills Classical Academy, a private primary and secondary school in Grand Rapids. He also served one year as a North Hills assistant administrator, assisting with a wide variety of school issues, including budgets, curriculum and teacher-administrator relationships.
Van Beek obtained his Master of Arts in American history in 2005 from Purdue University, where he also held teaching assistantships. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 2003 from Hope College and was twice honored as the top student in the history department. In his senior year, Van Beek was voted captain of the Hope College varsity baseball team, and he was later selected the league's most valuable player by the baseball coaches of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Van Beek lives in Midland, Mich., with his wife, son and daughter.
By Michael Van Beek
Two Charter Public Schools Being Closed
If only all schools faced the same accountability. … more
Politics Alive and Well in Public Schools
Brandon board won't sell vacant building to charter group. … more
Don't Trust Ed-Trust on Charter Schools
Group seeks ed reform, but misses mark on charters. … more
The Preschool Paradox
An extra year of kindergarten vs. Great Start. … more
Teacher Merit Pay in India
A model Michigan should consider. … more
Average Superintendent Compensation in Michigan
Searchable database now available online. … more
Tall Tales
DPS scores get a closer look. … more
National School Choice Week
More than 3,500 events scheduled nationwide. … more
Charter Schools Produce Huge ROI
One-quarter less spending, 45 percent more results. … more
Huffington Post Gets Charter School Study Wrong
Article ignores gains made by charter school students. … more
Ed. Establishment Downplays Charter Study
New Stanford study's methedology beyond reproach. … more
Charter School Market Working
Those run by for-profits benefit students most. … more
Michigan Charter Schools a Smashing Success
New Stanford study most thorough analysis yet. … more
Per-Pupil Spending About Even
Fears about Oxford proposal misplaced. … more
Right-to-Work: What Now for Schools?
Districts should resist union calls for contract extensions. … more
Schools Put Unions Ahead of Teachers on Right-to-Work
"Labor accord" more important than employee freedom. … more
A Quick Lesson on School Vouchers
Educators misleading on reform bills. … more
The V-Word
School funding reform is not about vouchers. … more
Super-Seniority
Are school union bosses more valuable than teachers? … more
'Non-Teaching' Staff Up 702 Percent Since 1950
More teachers, more staff, more cost; lower test scores. … more
New High School Performance Database
Online "report card" searchable, sortable. … more
What's in a Teachers Union Contract?
Lots of emphasis on the union, not much on students. … more
Merit Pay in Mattawan
For coaches, not teachers. … more
Complaints About 'Parent Trigger' Miss the Mark
All parents should have this powerful tool available to them. … more
Placing School Bureaucrats Before Children
Anti-charter school bill protectionist for consolidated districts. … more
News from Lake Wobegon:
All Michigan teachers are above average. … more
How Not to Measure Charter School Quality
Individual learning growth should be the main focus. … more
Inconvenient Truths on School Choice
School choice critics often ignore data. … more
Let Online Learning Flourish
State should keep up with technology. … more
Top 10 Charter High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Top 10 Conventional High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Top 10 Rural High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Back-to-School Shopping
Schools, not parents, responsible for providing supplies. … more
Top 10 Town High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Top 10 Suburban High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Top 10 City High Schools
See how Michigan's top-performing high schools stack up. … more
Milton Friedman and School Choice
The economist's legacy has been long and powerful. … more
School Performance Analyses Useful
But only if they are used in the proper way. … more
Michigan’s Teaching Population Aging
Seniority clauses in contracts the obvious reason. … more
'Master'-ing Compensation for Michigan Teachers
How much should teachers' master's degrees matter? … more
Merit-Based Teacher Pay Rewards Everyone
Blissfield Schools and St. Clair join reformers of teacher pay. … more
School Takeovers: Much Criticism, No Solutions
Districts with EMs require innovative, quick action. … more
School Funding at All-Time High
See which districts spend the most and least per pupil. … more
Schools Aren't a 'Jobs Program'
Fruitport school board sides with union over students. … more
Telling Tales Out of School
Schools work just fine without collective bargaining. … more
Union Uses Students as Pawns
Teamsters encourages kids to skip school. … more
Union's Scare Tactics Exposed
Myths about privatization fail to materialize. … more
Michigan Lags Nation on School Choice
Progress in Great Lake State, but more can be done. … more
Educrats Spin Conspiracy Theories
Charter public schools, parental choice threaten monopoly. … more
Where A Pay Freeze Is a Pay Raise
Teacher contracts use interesting math. … more
Charter Schools Average Smaller Class Sizes
Less top heavy than conventional schools, too. … more
The Source of Schools' Pension Problems
Misleading comments a disservice to taxpayers. … more
Two Bills, Two Standards
Helmet laws and "cyber" schools. … more
'Flipped Classrooms' Aid Student Learning
"Results speak for themselves" … more
How Cost Effective Are Michigan’s Universities?
What they spend per degree completed. … more
Why the 'Michigan2020' Plan is a Poor Investment
More subsidies for college won't increase graduation rates. … more
School Districts in Deficit are Top Heavy
Spend 43 percent more on administration than state average. … more
Remove Needless Mandates on Teachers
Additional training has shown no impact on student performance. … more
Public School Welcomes All
(Unless they're from Detroit.) … more
Digital Learning Day
How schools are using technology to improve education. … more
MEA's Hyperbole About Cyber Charter Schools
Teachers union math gets a failing grade. … more
Online Charter School Spending Trends
How do they compare to brick-and-mortar schools? … more
The Unequal School Funding Myth
The latest in an ongoing video series. … more
The Debate About Online Charter Schools
Objections are easily refuted. … more
National School Choice Week
Good for parents, student, teachers and taxpayers. … more
Opposition to Online Charters Misguided
Savings can benefit students and educators. … more
A Digital Learning Success Story
Suttons Bay Schools an innovation leader. … more
Connecticut School Leaders Propose Bold Reforms
Michigan counterparts should take notice. … more
Arbitrary Cap on Charter Schools Lifted
Mackinac Center introduced concept in 1988. … more
Cherry-Picking Charter School Research
Broader look at data needed. … more
Charters Increase Special-Ed Enrollment
Decrease in special-ed enrollment for conventional schools. … more
The Difference With Charter Schools
Parents, not politicians, should make the choice. … more
Free Press Misleads on Charter Schools
Editorial claims parental choice is "dangerous." … more
Brookings Institution: Expand School Choice
Michigan should pay attention to study's findings. … more
It's for the Children
Does the MEA only care about certain students? … more
Digital Learning Growth in Michigan
Legislators should pay attention to increased enrollment. … more
Nation's Report Card
Bad news for Michigan. … more
Michigan's 'Very Best' Schools Only 'Above Average'
Global report card paints stark picture. … more
Jalen Rose: An Education Entrepreneur
Former basketball star opens charter public school. … more
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Spend $25 Billion to Fix It
Virtual learning should mean less money, not more, spent on schools buildings. … more
Professionalizing the Teaching Profession
Right-to-work law for teachers on the horizon. … more
A Smaller Cadillac Is Still a Cadillac
New government employee insurance cap is still 46 percent higher than private-sector average. … more
More Schools Save by Ditching Unionized Insurance, Busing, Food and Janitors
Money saved can be devoted to educating students. … more
August in Michigan Is Teacher Freedom Month
How teachers can resign from their union. … more
No Cutting and Complaining Here: Oxford Schools Bucks the Trend
One school district in Michigan is expanding learning opportunities for kids through online learning. … more
Will Schools Keep Ignoring Teacher Effectiveness When Setting Pay?
Make student learning and teacher effectiveness count more than than mere longevity. … more
Politicians: Stop Blocking the Online Charter School Door!
Just one group benefits from state caps on online charter school enrollment. … more
Measuring Charter Public School Performance
Measuring charter school performance is fundamentally different than measuring conventional school performance. … more
Saline Schools’ ‘Last in, First out’ Victims
Union's interests trumps those of teachers, students and parents. … more
Michigan School Spending Hits All-Time High
Per-pupil public school spending set a new record in 2010. … more
School Districts Ignoring Labor Market Signals
Schools need to apply law of supply and demand to teachers. … more
Should Education Money Only be for K-12?
The truth behind the School Aid Fund. … more
Average Teacher Salary in Michigan Rises Again
According to new data just released by the Michigan Department of Education for the 2009-2010 school year, the average teacher salary in Michigan has risen for the 13th consecutive year. This most recent data puts the figure at $63,024. … more
'Controlling' School Health Insurance Costs, Local Style
Four days after Gov. Rick Snyder recommended a 2011-2012 budget that would reduce state aid for schools by $300 per pupil from this year’s levels, the Petoskey school board proposed a plan to reduce the district’s teacher and support staff health insurance costs. Its timidity reveals why the public school establishment finds even the prospect of modest state funding reductions so traumatic. … more
Michigan Schools Still Well-Funded Under Governor's Plan
Even if Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed spending reductions on K-12 schools passes the Republcian Legislature, Michigan taxpayers will still supply schools with more money per pupil than taxpayers in 28 other states. … more
The MEA's Mob Mentality: If We All Strike, You Probably Won't Be Fired
In contemplating a statewide teacher strike, the Michigan Education Association appeals to peer pressure in advising its members on whether to approve an illegal strike. … more
Michigan Ain't Wisconsin, But Their Teachers Unions Share a Playbook
Gov. Rick Snyder has stated that “Michigan is not Wisconsin,” and that he doesn’t want to pick a fight with unions. Yet when it comes to the costs of school employee benefits, Michigan is eerily similar to Wisconsin, and in both states the root cause is also the same: government employee union collective bargaining privileges. … more
Update of New Teacher Contracts
Many school boards around the state are attempting to renegotiate current contracts or negotiate new ones with their local teachers unions to contain costs. Here's a brief recap of some of the new contracts agreed to recently. … more
Fact Check: Warren Schools' False Budget Cut Claim
The practice is widespread. Teachers union officials and even U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan have employed similar "creative" definitions of fiscal terms to support their talking points. … more
Benefits or Jobs: Schools, Legislature Must Choose
School districts and the Legislature have a choice: Protect bloated benefits, cut staff and eliminate programs, or enact reforms that make it possible to put benefits in balance while preserving educational services. … more
