Contents of this issue:
Federal Court upholds Arizona tuition tax credit
Millions spent on unfinished computer programs at Detroit schools
Granholm backs Flanagan in nationwide superintendent search
Higher ed. budget given top priority for additional tax revenue
U-M graduate student assistants strike after bargaining impasse
Southern Illinois University offers cash incentive for 4-year grads
FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS ARIZONA TUITION TAX CREDIT
TUCSON, Ariz. — A court challenge of Arizona's Educational Tax Credit
brought by the Arizona Civil Liberties Union was dismissed last week by
Federal District Court Judge Earl Carroll.
The lawsuit represented one of several attempts by the AzCLU to
challenge the tax credit under the premise that it violates the
establishment clause of the First Amendment. In 1999, the Arizona
Supreme Court dismissed a similar challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court has
also ruled that comparable tax credit programs are indeed
constitutional.
The Institute for Justice, the legal organization representing Arizona
School Choice Trust in the matter, stated, "We are extremely gratified
the District Court has once again recognized that school choice
programs, such as Arizona's Scholarship Tax Credit, are
constitutional."
Under Arizona's current program, individual taxpayers may receive a
credit of up to $500, and married couples receive a $625 credit for
donations to organizations such as ASCT that grant tuition
scholarships.
The Institute for Justice has defended tuition tax credit programs
nationwide, and is currently litigating in the interest of a school
choice program in Florida.
SOURCES:
Tucson Citizen, "Federal judge dismisses challenge to Arizona private
school tax credit," March 24, 2005
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/breaking/032405_tax_credit.php
Institute for Justice, "Arizona's Scholarship Tuition Tax Credit Again
Upheld by Court as Constitutional," March 24, 2005
http://www.ij.org/schoolchoice/az_taxcredits2/3_24_05pr.html
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Full Educational Choice (Vouchers,
Private Scholarships, Tax Credits, and Universal Tuition Tax Credits),"
January 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3273
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Universal Tuition Tax Credit: A
Proposal to Advance Parental Choice in Education," November 1997
https://www.mackinac.org/362
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Choice in Michigan: A Primer
for Freedom in Education," July 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/2027
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Vouchers or Tax Credits: Which Is
the Better Choice for School Choice," July 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6710
MILLIONS SPENT ON UNFINISHED COMPUTER PROGRAMS AT DETROIT SCHOOLS
DETROIT — Two of three software programs purchased five years ago by
the Detroit Public Schools for millions of dollars are not in use,
making it more difficult to track special education students and test
scores, according to a report by the Detroit Free Press.
The costs incurred for the programs are unknown, as the district has
withheld pertinent documents requested by the Free Press going back to
April 2004. According to the Free Press, it is unknown whether the
district allowed companies other than Massachusetts-based CELT Corp. to
bid on the projects. CELT was awarded contracts to create the software
programs.
CELT had previously been hired by the Colorado Springs, Co. district,
when current Detroit Schools CEO Kenneth Burnley was superintendent of
that district. Detroit Schools Senior Deputy CEO Robert Moore was also
employed by the Colorado Springs district at that time, according to
the Free Press.
Burnley defended the projects, saying that software normally requires
many more years to implement than Detroit's efforts have consumed. Most
organizations take 10 years to accomplish what we did in three to four
years," he said. "It was a huge undertaking."
Further details on the CELT contract are available from the Detroit
Free Press.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Schools buy tech, but much not in use,"
Mar. 28, 2005
https://www.freep.com/news/education/dps28e_20050328.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Government Encouragement,"
February 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6988
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The $200 Million Question,"
January 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6947
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Ironic Choices," November 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6895
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Playing Monopoly With Detroit's
Kids," July 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6688
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding: Lack of Money or
Lack of Money Management?" August 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3683
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Six Habits of Fiscally
Responsible School Districts," December 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4891
GRANHOLM BACKS FLANAGAN IN NATIONWIDE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
LANSING, Mich. — A spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced
last week the governor would support Mike Flanagan, currently the head
of a school superintendents association, for the vacant state
superintendent of public instruction post.
Flanagan, who has also served as superintendent for the Wayne County
ISD and the Farmington Hills district, had publicly denied ambitions to
be appointed to the state post, according to Booth Newspapers. "The
governor expects to send one name to the board of education, and she
would like Mike to reconsider and be considered for the position," said
Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd.
The state Board of Education has been conducting a public nationwide
search for candidates to fill the state superintendent position, which
was previously held by Tom Watkins. Watkins, who was appointed before
Granholm was elected to her office, resigned effective Mar. 9, after a
contentious battle with the governor earlier this year over possible
reforms for Michigan's education system.
SOURCES:
Booth Newspapers, "Granholm backs Flanagan for state superintendent,"
Mar. 23, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-5/111157622438260.xml
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Lansing Must Embrace Basic Reform
Following the Watkins Debacle," January 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6951
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Watkins Gets It Right,"
January 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6939
HIGHER ED. BUDGET GIVEN TOP PRIORITY FOR ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE
LANSING, Mich. — State legislators reached an agreement with Gov.
Jennifer Granholm over cuts to the higher education budget totaling $30
million as part of a strategy to reduce the state's $376 million
deficit, reported Booth Newspapers.
The agreement would give state colleges and universities top priority
in receiving additional tax revenue raised by the state between now and
the end of the fiscal year in September. Additionally, legislators
voted for a $200 million bond sale that would fund 24 building projects
for state colleges and universities.
Granholm had earlier proposed a $30 million cut to the higher education
budget. In addition to the tax revenue accord, the governor also agreed
to drop a proposed requirement that institutions keep tuition increases
down to 5 percent or less. Such tuition increase caps are harmful to
colleges and universities, Sen. Michael Goschka, R-Brant, told Booth.
While higher education is a "high-cost item, higher education is the
best investment anyone can make in themselves," said Goschka.
SOURCES:
Booth Newspapers, "Colleges almost out of budget woods," Mar. 24, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1111662601164090.xml
Michigan Privatization Report, "Bringing the Market to the Ivory
Tower," Winter 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6914
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Going Broke by Degree,"
September 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6805
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Prepaid Tuition
Programs Can Help Make College Affordable," September 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3685
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Competition Among Professors
Would Help Parents Afford College," August 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/2105
U-M GRADUATE STUDENT ASSISTANTS STRIKE AFTER BARGAINING IMPASSE
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Student members of the Graduate Employees
Organization in Ann Arbor picketed last Thursday for what was to have
been a 12-hour strike after the union and University of Michigan failed
to reach an agreement over health care expenses, reported the Detroit
News.
At issue is whether the university can reserve the right to make
changes to the student employees' health care coverage, according to
Organization president Dave Dobbie. "We bargained until almost 1 a.m.
and we couldn't reach an agreement," Dobbie told The News.
The strike began at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday. About 22 percent of
undergraduate university classes are taught by graduate assistants, and
"Our deans have sent a letter to all our teachers telling them we
expect them to hold classes," said U-M spokeswoman Julie Peterson. "We
don't feel a walkout is a fair bargaining mechanism."
Though public employee strikes in Michigan are illegal, The News
reported that Dobbie said larger issues were at stake. "We're some of
the lower paid employees at the university. We make an average of
$14,000 a year," Dobbie said.
SOURCES:
Detroit News, "U-M grad assistants start 12-hour strike," Mar. 24, 2005
https://www.detroitnews.com/2005/schools/0503/24/metro-127833.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A New Day for Michigan Schools,"
April 1995
https://www.mackinac.org/12
Michigan Education Report, "Detroit Teachers Illegally Strike,"
Fall 1999
https://www.educationreport.org/2492
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Analyst Says: Close Teacher Strike
Loophole That Allowed Anti-Charter School Protest," October 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5822
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Failure of Anti-Strike Law to Deter
Teachers Calls for New Measures, Analyst Says," September 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/2468
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OFFERS CASH INCENTIVE FOR 4-YEAR GRADS
CHICAGO, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Chancellor Walter V.
Wendler announced last week that the school would offer a $500 tuition
grant to students who graduate in four years, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
The grant, which would be awarded in the eighth semester of a student's
tenure at the university, is meant to encourage students to finish in
four years. "Students are taking longer to graduate than ever before.
But those coming right out of high school, many of them could graduate
in four years, and we think this incentive will push them a little
harder," said Wendler. Just 600 students out of an average-sized
freshman class of 2,400 will complete their studies at the university
in four years, according to the Sun-Times.
Wendler said that the incentive would eventually save taxpayers money,
as students that graduate in four years would use fewer university
resources overall. "If a student is here for five years, they're taking
up seat space, they're using lights and electricity. And if we can
graduate them more quickly, it reduces the burden on the campus and it
gives (someone else) the opportunity to come in here and get an
education," said Wendler.
SOURCES:
Chicago Sun-Times, "SIU offers cash to get students out in 4 yrs.,"
Mar. 24, 2005
http://www.suntimes.com/output/education/cst-nws-siu24.html
Michigan Privatization Report, "Bringing the Market to the Ivory
Tower," Winter 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6914
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Going Broke by Degree,"
September 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6805
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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