Contents of this issue:
- State deficit will impact education budget
- Teachers' union to submit application to run charter school
- State officials address student achievement gap
- Five Detroit Schools Taken to Court Over Health Code Violations
- Senate panel approves Head Start bill
- State legislators hear comments in changing/eliminating state
achievement test
- New Columbine evidence suggests warnings were ignored
- In-demand Oakland County technical school struggles for funding
- California district bans junk food sales
STATE DEFICIT WILL IMPACT EDUCATION BUDGET
LANSING, Mich. — Worries that state aid to schools may have to be
reduced in order to deal with a state budget deficit have many
Michigan school districts wondering how they will manage.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm is on an 11-stop tour of Michigan,
focusing on the state's $900 million deficit for fiscal year
2004. The state school budget alone faces a $361 million
shortfall. Schools fear the state may have to cut up to $500 per
pupil — a loss that some smaller districts may not be able to
withstand. "They won't be able to cut their way out of this," Don
Wotruba, director of legislative affairs for the Michigan
Association of School Boards, told the Free Press.
One option officials are looking at is a pro-rated, or equal, cut
of $205 per pupil around the state. "Everything is on the table.
Obviously, education is our top priority, but even top priorities
are going to feel some cuts," said Bill Nowling, a spokesman for
Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "School cuts look painful: State faces big
education deficit," Nov. 1, 2003
https://www.freep.com/news/education/skuls1_20031101.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Pros and Cons of Zero-
based Budgeting," November 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5928
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding: Lack of Money
or Lack of Money Management?" August 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3683
TEACHERS' UNION TO SUBMIT APPLICATION TO RUN CHARTER SCHOOL
NEW YORK, N.Y. — The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), a New
York City teachers' union plans to run one of 50 new charter
schools the city plans to open using $50 million in private
donations.
"We want to show that we practice what we preach," UFT President
Randi Weingarten told the New York Times. "Hopefully I can get my
union to support me on this."
This would not be the first time a teachers' union took control
of a charter school — the Miami United Teachers of Dade created a
partnership with Edison Schools and plans to open 10 charters
there.
If the union opens the school, it would give the union insight
into how a charter school runs, said Arthur Greenberg, a
professor at New York University. "Every time a state education
department has ever tried to take over a school or a school
district, it has been eye-opening for them," he said. "There's a
lot to be learned from the experience."
SOURCES:
New York Times, "Let Us Run Charter School, Teachers' Union Head
Says," Oct. 30, 2003
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/30/education/30CHAR.html
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Impact of Limited School
Choice on Public School Districts," July 2000
https://www.mackinac.org/2962
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Time to Stop Beating Up on
Charter Schools," November 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4864
STATE OFFICIALS ADDRESS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GAP
LANSING, Mich. — A new position created by Michigan
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins will work full-time to reduce the achievement gap between white and minority
students in Michigan.
The position, filled by appointee Lloyd Bingman, an Oklahoma
native with a master's degree in urban education and a doctorate
in education administration, is funded by a $75,000 one-year,
renewable contract provided by federal sources under the "No
Child Left Behind" Act of 2002.
Some say that one more bureaucrat isn't the solution to problems
in Michigan schools. "Parents want teachers who can teach and
safe classrooms. And if the local school doesn't offer those
things, parents must be allowed to freely choose another school
that does," said
Joseph G. Lehman, executive vice president of
the
Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
According to standardized test scores from last school year, 73
percent of white fourth-graders were proficient in math, while
black and Hispanic students in the same grade were 43 percent and
51 percent proficient, respectively.
SOURCES:
Booth Newspapers, "State looks to bridge student achievement
gap," Nov. 3, 2003
https://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-3/
1067598720320040.xml
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Less Government, Not More, Is
Key to Academic Achievement and Accountability," Oct. 3, 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3786
FIVE DETROIT SCHOOLS TAKEN TO COURT OVER HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS
DETROIT — Five Detroit schools are facing misdemeanor charges
over health code violations in their cafeterias.
Inspectors found that kitchens at the Deiter Trainable Center,
Loving Jr. Elementary School, Sherrard Elementary School and
MacCulloch Elementary School didn't having required hand-washing
sinks. Also, schools were cited for improper food temperatures at
Loving, Sherrard and MacCulloch. And at Sherrard, inspectors
found that cold food was transported incorrectly and kitchen
workers didn't have a food thermometer. A final school, Redford
High School, had violations for burned-out lights, missing
ceiling tiles, missing light shields and a broken garbage
disposal.
But school officials say they've already made the corrections and
the cases never should have made it to court. School officials
will have to appear before a 36th District Court judge to resolve
the misdemeanor charges filed earlier this month. The judge would
determine penalties if the district hasn't complied.
SOURCES:
Detroit News, "Health Dept. says school violate codes,"
Oct. 31, 2003
https://www.detroitnews.com/2003/schools/0310/31/d01-312347.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Privatization: Economies of
School," Sept. 12, 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3715
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Clare Schools Using
Privatization to Keep Teachers," Sept. 4, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5734
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Contract Out School Services
Before Laying Off Teachers," June 2, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5404
SENATE PANEL APPROVES HEAD START BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. Senate committee unanimously approved
last week a preliminary version of a bill to reauthorize the Head
Start program. The recently approved House's version, by
contrast, received no Democrat votes.
The changes include new educational standards, new teacher
qualifications and a salary cap for Head Start employees at
$171,900. The cap was suggested due to reports of misuse of the
program's funds. "Recently, we have heard outrageous stories of
Head Start funds — dollars that are specifically set aside for
children — being used to pay exorbitant salaries, unnecessary
travel and even leases on luxury vehicles for Head Start
directors," Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said.
One major difference between the Senate and House bills is the
authorization for up to eight states to take full control of
administration of the Head State program. The House version
includes this clause, while the Senate bill does not.
SOURCES:
Washington Times, "Hill panel OKs Head Start's renewal,"
Oct. 30, 2003
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031029-113304-2118r.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Hyping the Head Start
Program," April 1993
https://www.mackinac.org/159
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Re-Hyping the Head Start
Program," August 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5672
STATE LEGISLATORS HEAR COMMENTS ON CHANGING/ELIMINATING STATE
ACHIEVEMENT TEST
ADRIAN, Mich. — The Michigan House Education Committee began a
series of five public hearings last week to hear comments about
revamping or removing the Michigan Educational Assessment Program
(MEAP) tests.
"Based on all the testimony so far the MEAP is far from perfect,"
state Rep. Doug Spade, D-Adrian, told the Jackson Citizen
Patriot.
The MEAP has taken bashes in recent years from school
administrators because some see it as a failed way to measure
students' success.
But others feel differently. "It wouldn't break my heart if the
MEAP goes away and something replaces it," Grass Lake Community
Schools Superintendent Brad Hamilton said. Yet, "My main concern
is not so much the test as what we do with the data on that
test."
The panel will deliver a report on the matter to Gov. Jennifer
Granholm in January based on testimony.
SOURCES:
Jackson Citizen-Patriot, "Educators have say on MEAP,"
Oct. 27, 2003
https://www.mlive.com/news/jacitpat/index.ssf?/base/news-6/
106727269364740.xml
Michigan Education Report, "Which educational achievement test is
best for Michigan?" Fall 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4622
NEW COLUMBINE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS WARNINGS WERE IGNORED
GOLDEN, Colo. — The Jefferson County sheriff's department
recently released a video showing the teenage killers Eric Harris
and Dylan Klebold gleefully taking target practice six weeks
before the April 20, 1999 massacre.
The department has also admitted that one of its investigators
had been tipped off about the pair's violent inclinations two
years before the attack and had done nothing. Last week, Sheriff
Ted Mink, who took office over the summer, said former
investigator John Hicks was told in 1997 about a Web site on
which Harris described how he and Klebold were building pipe
bombs and looking for a "ground zero." Hicks was also involved in
the decision not to search Harris' home in 1998 after the teen
threatened a fellow student, Brooks Brown.
The 1997 report was found less than two weeks ago by a deputy
leafing through a training manual, the sheriff said. The sheriff
asked the attorney general to investigate why the tip was not
acted on.
SOURCES:
Associated Press, "More belated disclosures outrage Columbine
families," Nov. 4, 2003
http://www.staugustine.com/stories/110403/nat_1911747.shtml
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Michigan Schools Deserve 'A'
for Response to Columbine Tragedy," Aug. 15, 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/pubs/mer/2199
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School shootings prompt
response in legislatures," April 25, 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/pubs/mer/3423
IN-DEMAND OAKLAND COUNTY TECHNICAL SCHOOL STRUGGLES FOR FUNDING
CLARKSTON — Ten-year-old Oakland Science, Mathematics &
Technology Academy (OSMTech) needs to add about 10 students to
its enrollment of 116 and raise thousands of dollars in order to
stay afloat.
The academy isn't struggling for lack of interest. More than 100
students applied for one of the 30 open freshman spots at OSMTech
last year. The problem is that many of the local districts that
allow students to take courses at OSMTech are facing such severe
budget problems that they no longer can afford to send students
to OSMTech. Many are beginning to limit the number of
participants.
Local districts lose money with each student who attends the
academy's half-day program. To help with costs, the district is
required to send half of the state allotted amount for each
student, plus $100, to the academy.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "EDUCATION IN OAKLAND: Academy fights for
survival," Nov. 3, 2003
https://www.freep.com/news/education/nacad3_20031103.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Six Habits of Fiscally
Responsible School Districts," Dec. 3, 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4891
CALIFORNIA DISTRICT BANS JUNK FOOD SALES
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles Unified School District's
713 schools will no longer be able to vend chips, candy and other
snack foods due to a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles Board of
Education last week.
The food ban is in addition to a ban on soft drinks that began in
January. "We have a chance to make a difference in the health of
our kids," board member Marlene Canter told the Los Angeles
Times. "The provisions of this motion move us in that direction
in a big-time way." The plan to rid schools of junk food also
urges schools to end contracts with vendors that sell pizzas and
burgers on campuses.
Critics of the plan say that tens of thousands of fundraising
dollars may be lost because of the ban. Sports teams and school
clubs commonly sell candy and other foodstuffs on- and off-
campus to raise money.
The vote also relaxed cell phone and pager usage rules so
students can use the devices during lunch periods.
SOURCES:
Los Angeles Times, "Sale of Junk Food at School Banned,"
Oct. 29, 2003
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/
la-me-junk29oct29,1,7160782.story?coll=la-news-learning
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Candy Police,"
Nov. 3, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5927
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org), a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 130,000 published by the Mackinac Center
for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org), a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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