Contents of this issue:
New report blames Detroit Public Schools deficit on poor management
Michigan legislators propose tying state middle school money to math
Florida creates "provisional" status for some schools failing NCLB
Michigan Senate committee begins hearings on mandatory attendance age
Michigan legislative hearing to review school funding proposal
NEW REPORT BLAMES DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEFICIT ON POOR MANAGEMENT
DETROIT — A report issued last week by Gov. Jennifer Granholm's Detroit
Public Schools Transition Team attributed the Detroit district's $200
million deficit to management failures by the district's leadership,
according to The Detroit News.
The study, prepared by MGT of America Inc., a Florida-based consulting
firm, said the Detroit district has spent millions of dollars more than
it should have. The document reportedly cited an above-average number
of central administrators; unused offices in buildings leased by the
district; and generous stipends paid to retired teachers hired as
consultants. According to The News, the report described the district's
current deficit-reduction measures as "overly optimistic" and added,
"DPS will be paying the price for the current lack of budget discipline
... well into the future."
In response, district spokesman Kenneth Coleman told The News, "This is
a very quick study and they even acknowledge that." Coleman said the
district has remained true to its deficit-reduction plan by closing
schools and cutting staff.
The district borrowed $213 million this year, according to The News.
The transition team was appointed by the governor to help the Detroit
district manage the change from an appointed school board to one
elected by Detroit voters.
SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "Report rips Detroit school leadership on deficit,"
June 10, 2005
https://www.detroitnews.com/2005/schools/0506/10/D01-211055.htm
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Playing Monopoly With Detroit's
Kids," July 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6688
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
MICHIGAN LEGISLATORS PROPOSE TYING STATE MIDDLE SCHOOL MONEY TO MATH
MIDLAND, Mich. — According to the Midland Daily News, Midland state
Rep. John Moolenar last week presented a proposal by Michigan House
Republicans to link a $65 increase in per-pupil funding for public
middle schools to improvements in the schools' math scores.
Any middle school that accepted the state money would continue to
receive the funds in subsequent years if it produced improvements in
students' math performance. The $65 in state per-pupil money is
reportedly separate from the $175 per-pupil increase that has also been
proposed by House Republicans. Schools would be able to use the extra
dollars as they wish.
According to the Daily News, Moolenar's office noted that U.S. middle
school students' performance on international math tests is weak, even
though U.S. elementary school students perform well in math. Moolenar
reportedly added: "If we expect our students to excel in math at the
high school level and beyond, we need to promote and reward excellence
at the middle school level. Math proficiency is the price of admission
for so many high-tech fields."
SOURCES:
Midland Daily News, "Middle school money," June 8, 2005
https://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14659154&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6&xb=pumul
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Fair Comparison: U.S. Students
Lag in Math and Science," March 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6998
Michigan Education Report, "Markets, not MEAP, best way to measure
school quality," Spring 2000
https://www.mackinac.org/2872
FLORIDA CREATES "PROVISIONAL" STATUS FOR SOME SCHOOLS FAILING NCLB
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel,
the state of Florida announced last week it has created a new state
category to describe more than 825 state schools that have performed
well by state standards, but have failed by the standards contained in
the federal No Child Left Behind Act. If the federal government
reconsiders the performance of these schools and accepts it as
adequate, the number of Florida schools considered failing by federal
standards might be cut almost in half.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, the state's newly minted category of
"Provisional Adequate Yearly Progress" is being assigned to schools
that received a grade of "A" or "B" under state guidelines, but failed
to achieve "adequate yearly progress" under federal guidelines. Both
the federal government and Florida state government rate public schools
based on the performance of their students on the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test.
The legal implication of the new designation is unclear, and the Sun-Sentinel reported that Florida Education Commissioner John Winn said,
"I cannot say when it would be resolved." Schools that have failed to
meet federal standards and that accept federal money for low-income
students could be required under the NCLB to provide students with
additional tutoring services. If, however, federal officials decide to
accept the "provisional" designation as representing adequate
performance under the NCLB, "provisional" schools might not have to
provide the tutoring.
SOURCES:
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "State's new grading category may save
failing schools, but raises questions," June 10, 2005
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/sfl-ceducation10jun10,0,6525189.story?coll=sfla-news-education
Michigan Education Report, "NCLB underfunded?" Spring 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7021
Michigan Education Report, "President signs 'No Child Left Behind
Act,'" Winter 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4082
Michigan Education Report, "No Child Left Behind law demands 'adequate
yearly progress' and offers school choice options for parents,"
Fall 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4846
MICHIGAN SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS HEARINGS ON COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AGE
JACKSON, Mich. — The Michigan Senate Education Committee began hearings
last week on proposed legislation to increase the compulsory school
attendance age from 16 years old to 18 years old, reported The Jackson
Citizen Patriot.
The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor.
According to The Citizen Patriot, most Jackson County school officials
support raising the age, and the paper quoted Chris Kregal, principal
of Springport High School, as saying: "As a teacher, I've seen a
marginal student in the ninth and 10th grade change by the time he
becomes a senior. They realize they aren't a kid anymore."
The Citizen Patriot also suggested that some people oppose the increase
if improvements are not made to the state's schools. "The bottom line
is that we've got to have schools that are so interesting and so
exciting that they don't want to leave," said Michigan Business Leaders
for Education Excellence Executive Director Jim Sandy, according to The
Citizen Patriot.
Though figures from Michigan's Center for Educational Performance and
Information show the state's graduation rate was 85 percent in 2003,
other studies, according to The Citizen Patriot, suggest that around
one-quarter of the state's eighth-grade students are "likely" to drop
out.
SOURCES:
The Jackson Citizen Patriot, "Age debate under way," June 11, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/news/jacitpat/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1118484365245901.xml
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Case for Choice in Schooling:
Restoring Parental Control of Education," January 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3236
MICHIGAN LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO REVIEW SCHOOL FUNDING PROPOSAL
LANSING, Mich. — According to the Lansing State Journal, the state
Senate Education Committee and a state Senate appropriations
subcommittee will hold a joint meeting this Thursday to consider a
proposal that would establish a minimum for annual spending increases
on Michigan's public elementary, secondary and postsecondary
educational institutions.
Under the proposal, which is sponsored by state Senate Minority Leader
Robert Emerson, money for K-16 education would increase at a minimum
annual rate of 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.
The legislation would also cap at 12.99 percent the schools'
contributions to the state's teacher pension fund, while further
stipulating that local school districts receive state monies equal to
90 percent of what they would be entitled to if all eligible students
in their district attended district schools.
The Journal reported that a public rally in support of higher state
education spending is scheduled to occur at the state Capitol on
June 21. The rally is being organized by the K-16 Coalition for
Michigan's Future, which reportedly estimates that 3,000 to 5,000
people will attend the event. According to the Journal, coalition
leader Tom White remarked, "We need the Legislature to be involved."
Ari Adler, spokesman for state Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema,
reportedly said, however: "There is a concern on our part about the
cost of the legislation. We need to get a handle on that."
SOURCES:
Lansing State Journal, "School funding proposal to get hearing,"
June 13, 2005
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050613/NEWS04/506130338/1001/news
MichiganVotes.org, 2005 Senate Bill 246
https://www.michiganvotes.org/2005-SB-246
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding: Lack of Money or
Lack of Money Management?" August 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3683
Michigan Education Report, "Proposal A provided more money, but better
management needed," Fall 2001
https://www.educationreport.org/3908
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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