Contents of this issue:
Percentage of Michigan residents with college degrees up; state still
lags nationally
State SAT scores down, remain above national average
D.C. school vouchers place over 1,000 in schools of choice
New state budget plan may affect ISDs, stay clear of local districts
College tuition savings program opens enrollment
Wayne county clerk OKs Detroit school board ballot question
PERCENTAGE OF MICHIGAN RESIDENTS WITH COLLEGE DEGREES UP; STATE STILL
LAGS NATIONALLY
DETROIT, Mich. — The percentage of Michigan adults with college degrees
is up slightly over the past three years, but the state still lags
behind the nationwide average of residents with at least a bachelor's
degree.
The percentage of adults in the state with at least a four-year degree
increased one point between 2000 and 2003, from 23 percent to 24
percent. Nationwide, the number of adults with a college degree
increased from 25 percent to 27 percent over the same period. "People
are understanding the importance of a college degree," said Jack Kay,
an associate provost at Wayne State University. "When I go into high
schools, there is much more of a sense you really need college for the
information demand out there."
The data comes from an annual U.S. Census Bureau survey of 800,000
people. According to the survey, the portion of adults in Michigan with
a high school degree is 87 percent, compared to 84 percent nationwide.
But shifts in technology and information-based work make college
degrees worth more than in the past, according to experts. "We have to
make sure we have an educated workforce ... that are ready to be in
place to handle these jobs," said Phil Gardner, director of the
Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University.
SOURCES:
Detroit News, "Michigan makes strides in educating its residents,"
Sept. 1, 2004
https://www.detroitnews.com/2004/schools/0409/01/d01-260446.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Cost of Remedial Education,"
August 2000
https://www.mackinac.org/3025
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Graduation Rates an Imperfect
Measure of School Excellence," January 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/3932
STATE SAT SCORES DOWN, REMAIN ABOVE NATIONAL AVERAGE
DETROIT, Mich. — The state average on the annual SAT test declined this
year, but stayed above the aggregate national average for the test,
which is taken by U.S. high school students seeking admission to
college.
Scores on the math section averaged down three points to 573, while
scores on the verbal section declined one point to 563. Nationwide, the
average score was 508 on the verbal and 518 on the math (the highest
possible combined score is 1600).
But only 11 percent of students statewide take the SAT exam, which is
not as popular as the competing ACT test. Experts say this small sample
makes it difficult to draw conclusions from the results.
Michigan students had been improving their average score since 1999,
improving by six points on the verbal section and eight points on the
math. A new test will debut this spring, replacing the well-known
verbal analogy section with an essay and altering the maximum total
score. Students currently have a choice on whether to take the new test
or stick with the old one until it is phased out next year.
SOURCES:
Detroit News, "State SAT scores decline," Sept. 1, 2004
https://www.detroitnews.com/2004/schools/0409/06/d01-260439.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Which Educational Achievement Test
is Best for Michigan?" May 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4382
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Cost of Remedial Education,"
August 2000
https://www.mackinac.org/3025
D.C. SCHOOL VOUCHERS PLACE OVER 1,000 IN SCHOOLS OF CHOICE
BOSTON, Mass. — According to the program directors of the nation's
first federally funded voucher program, response to the voucher
offering in Washington, D.C., was overwhelming, enabling children from
failing schools to attend other schools chosen by parents.
This spring, a voucher program called the Washington Scholarship Fund,
started to help District of Columbia schoolchildren, began offering
scholarships of up to $7,500 towards tuition at private and parochial
schools around the city. In 17 days, over 8,500 students' families made
inquiries into the program, and about 1,800 of them met program
requirements for eligibility.
Currently, the program has accepted 1,011 students. "The fact that so
many families applied for and accepted these scholarships shows the
demand for quality educational options," said Mayor Anthony A.
Williams. Some of the 53 schools that have accepted the voucher
students had tuitions higher than the $7,500 maximum scholarship, but
waived the extra fees to get children into their institutions.
Tuition vouchers allow families to use government money to attend the
school of their choice — one of many forms of school choice used in
the United States today. Another popular form of school choice is the
tuition tax credit, which allows parents to receive a dollar-for-dollar
tax credit on their child's tuition at a school of their choice.
SOURCES:
Boston Globe, "Students use vouchers to flee D.C. schools,"
Sept. 1, 2004
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2004/09/01/ students_use_vouchers_to_flee_dc_schools/
Mackinac Center for Public Policy speech, "Vouchers or Tuition Tax
Credits: Which Is the Better Choice for School Choice?" July 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6710
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Forging Consensus," April 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6517
Michigan Education Report, "Education Reform, School Choice, and Tax
Credits," Spring 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4372
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Friedman Says Vouchers and Tax
Credits Useful Route to Greater School Choice," March 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4117
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Case for Choice in Schooling:
Restoring Parental Control of Education," January 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3236
NEW STATE BUDGET PLAN MAY AFFECT ISDS, STAYS CLEAR OF LOCAL DISTRICTS
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A prolonged battle over a $1 billion state
deficit may affect funding for intermediate school districts and other
state-funded agencies, but for now will not cut state aid to local
school districts.
In fact, the new budget plan projects an increase in per-student state
aid of 74 dollars to local school districts, though districts that
receive more than $9,000 per student will not receive the hike. The
increase comes in part from a funding cut for ISDs, which will receive
a decrease of about 16 percent, according to lawmakers. The efficacy
and oversight of intermediate districts has been questioned in the last
several years due to a number of ISD scandals.
Intermediate school district officials disagreed with the cuts, saying
it will affect how they run their agencies, which provide various
administrative and support services to local districts. "Anytime they
cut categoricals, it disproportionately affects school districts around
the state," said Becky Rocho, an administrator with the Calhoun
Intermediate School District.
Lawmakers beginning Wednesday will take up the plan, which also
suggests cuts and alterations to several other state departments and
programs.
SOURCES:
Battle Creek Enquirer, "Education cuts may be ahead," Sept. 3, 2004
https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ article?AID=/20040903/NEWS01/409030312/1002
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Michigan's Budget Deficit Calls for
Structural Reforms," August 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6787
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Six Habits of Fiscally
Responsible School Districts," December 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4891
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Eliminate Intermediate School
Districts," August 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5678
Michigan Education Report, "What Are Intermediate School Districts?"
Winter 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/2709
Michigan Education Report, "Group files complaints against districts,"
Spring 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/2882
COLLEGE TUITION SAVINGS PROGRAM BEGINS ENROLLMENT
DETROIT, Mich. — A state-run savings plan that essentially helps
parents prepay college tuition at state universities opened enrollment
last week, as good investment returns have provided enough capital for
new contracts to be offered.
Currently, contracts with the Michigan Education Trust for a 15-year
payment plan will cost $68 per month, which would total a one-time
payment of $7,028. That would cover one year of tuition at any Michigan
public university when the child turns 18. Approximately 74,000 MET
contracts have been sold since the program debuted.
The MET program currently holds $963 million in assets, a stronger
asset level than last year, allowing the state Treasury Department to
open the program for new contract purchases this year. According to the
department, 2,600 parents in 2001 purchased MET contracts, and the
number increased to 4,400 last year.
The MET program was recently restarted, although former Gov. John
Engler had put it on hold, arguing that private options were less
expensive and better-performing than the state-run program. Some
economists believe the state's program is unsustainable in the long run
because government programs have in the past been unable to predict
market prices better than private program managers.
SOURCES:
Detroit News, "Enrollment open for prepay college tuition,"
Sept. 3, 2004
https://www.detroitnews.com/2004/schools/0409/06/d06-262780.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Michigan Education Trust: A
Political Economy Perspective," March 1990
https://www.mackinac.org/270
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Advancing Civil Society: A State
Budget to Strengthen Michigan Culture," April 1996
https://www.mackinac.org/237
WAYNE COUNTY CLERK OKS DETROIT SCHOOL BOARD BALLOT QUESTION
DETROIT, Mich. — The Wayne County clerk approved ballot language for
November's vote in Detroit over the composition of its local school
board.
State legislation in 1999 shifted control of the elected Detroit school
board to mayoral appointees and a state official. Five years later, the
city is holding a vote under that legislation on whether to restore
control to a wholly elected board — the type that was in place before
the takeover — or to keep a board similar to the current one, with a
CEO nominated and controlled by the mayor.
Detroit's current mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, supports the new measure,
designated as Proposal E. A decision last week by the Detroit Election
Commission allowed explanations of the proposal's language on the
ballot, and these have been certified by Wayne County Clerk Cathy
Garrett. "I've been a strong advocate of educating voters and concur
with the findings of the Detroit Elections Commission to ensure that
the voters are informed and knowledgeable of the proposal," said
Garrett.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Clerk OKs school ballot explanation,"
Sept. 1, 2004
https://www.freep.com/news/education/dps1d_20040901.htm
Michigan Education Report, "Compromise Gives Archer Control of Detroit
Schools," Spring 1999
https://www.educationreport.org/1678
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Detroit's Reform School Board Would
Be Wise to Privatize," June 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/1843
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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