Contents of this issue:
Study: Urban schools hurt by union staffing rules
Residents attempt to form school board, reopen school
Budget surplus could be disbursed to Michigan schools
Charters, independent schools not worried about K-Promise
Otsego bus drivers drop MESSA
Detroit Public Schools enrollment drops again
Teachers sue Lakeview Public Schools
STUDY: URBAN SCHOOLS HURT BY UNION STAFFING RULES
New York, N.Y. - Union staffing rules, rather than employee
performance or student need, dictate how 40 percent of teacher
vacancies are filled in urban public schools, according to a
study by The New Teacher Project.
The study, "Unintended Consequences: The Case for Reforming the
Staffing Rules in Urban Teachers Union Contracts," looked at
hiring and teacher movement in five urban districts, the Sante Fe
New Mexican reported. The districts were given anonymity in
exchange for access, but two, San Diego and New York City, have
identified themselves.
Specific contract rules such as "voluntary transfer," and
"excessed teacher" were examined, according to a TNTP press
release highlighting the study. A voluntary transfer is a teacher
with seniority who moves between schools in the same district,
while an excessed teacher is one whose position has been cut,
usually for budget reasons. Excessed teachers are often given
jobs at a different school within the same district.
"These staffing rules often require other schools to hire these
incumbent teachers even if they are not the right match for the
job," TNTP's press release said. "As a result, urban schools are
often forced to hire teachers regardless of students' needs.
These contract rules thwart any sustained attempt to
significantly improve teacher quality - the single greatest
school-based factor in increasing student achievement."
The study also found that of more than 70,000 teachers in the
five districts, only four tenured teachers were terminated due to
poor performance in a one-year period. Because of the
difficulties in firing teachers, 25 percent of principals
surveyed in one district and 40 percent in another admitted that
they urge poor performers to transfer to another school.
The American Federation of Teachers, a union of 1.3 million
teachers and school personnel, called the study "meritless," in
its own press release.
"The TNTP report completely misses the mark on the challenge of
retaining new teachers in urban schools," said Antonia Cortese,
the AFT's executive vice president. "Almost 50 percent of new
teachers leave schools within five years."
TNTP's study, although not about new teacher retention, did find
that staffing rules in union contracts mean new teachers are
often expendable.
"Novice teachers are, by default, the first to be excessed,"
TNTP's press release said. "In three districts, a subset of
novice teachers also can be stripped of their positions if more
senior teachers need or want their jobs. As a result, one-quarter
of principals surveyed reported having a new or novice teacher
bumped from their school the prior year."
According to its Web site, "The New Teacher Project is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to partnering with educational
entities to enhance their capacity to recruit, select, train and
support new teachers effectively."
SOURCES:
The New Teacher Project, "Unintended Consequences: The Case for
Reforming the Staffing Rules in Urban Teachers Union Contracts"
http://www.tntp.org/newreport/TNTP%20Unintended%20Consequences.pdf
(PDF file)
American Federation of Teachers, "Study Falsely Links Low Teacher
Quality to Union Contracts," Nov. 16, 2005
http://www.aft.org/presscenter/releases/2005/111605.htm
Sante Fe New Mexican, "Union rules force city schools to hire
unwanted teachers, study says," Nov. 16, 2005
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/35145.html
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Collective Bargaining:
Bringing Education to the Table," Aug. 1, 1998
https://www.mackinac.org/791
Michigan Education Report, "Labor Contracts Hurting Michigan
Teachers and Schools, Study Says," Nov. 2, 1998
https://www.educationreport.org/771
RESIDENTS ATTEMPT TO FORM SCHOOL BOARD, REOPEN SCHOOL
Greenville, Mich. - Local residents have reorganized the defunct
Hubbardston Community School Board in an effort to reopen an
elementary school, but the group is not legally recognized,
according to The Greenville Daily News.
Hubbardston Elementary School was closed at the end of the 2004-2005 school year by a 6-1 vote of the Carson City-Crystal Area
Schools Board of Education. The district faced a $1.2 million
budget deficit, The Daily News reported.
Dan Pfeiffer, appointed president of the new board, said the
former Hubbardston Community School Board owns part of the
elementary school.
"They never signed the deed over to Carson City," Pfeiffer told
The Daily News. "We verified with the Ionia County (Register of)
Deeds Office that the deed was owned by the Hubbardston Community
School Board. So we organized the Hubbardston Community School
Board and took our deed back from the Ionia County Deeds Office."
Martin Ackley, Michigan Department of Education spokesman, said
the board lacks legal authority.
"This group can call itself anything it wants, and they can play
school board all they want," he told The Daily News. "But it is
not recognized by the State of Michigan as a legal board of
education or school district because it doesn't meet the
requirements set forth by the state's election law and school
code."
The group plans to continue meeting at 7 p.m. on the third Monday
of each month, according to The Daily News.
According to Carson City-Crystal Superintendent Bob Swanson, the
Hubbardston school was merged into the CC-C district by an action
of the Montcalm County Intermediate School District, The Daily
News reported.
SOURCE:
The Greenville Daily News, "Hubbardston residents form own school
board," Nov. 4, 2005
http://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/2005/11/04/carsoncity/gaz03.txt
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Detroit Administrators Propose
Closing More Than 100 Schools," Jan. 25, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/6953
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Budgets: A Crisis of
Management, Not Finance," Feb. 11, 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6980
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Why Are Michigan's School
Districts Borrowing More?" March 1, 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6314
BUDGET SURPLUS COULD BE DISBURSED TO MICHIGAN SCHOOLS
Lansing, Mich. - Public schools in Michigan could get as much as
$67 more per student under legislation introduced by House
Republicans last week, according to Booth Newspapers. The money
could come from a $55 million surplus that is expected for the
state's school aid fund. However, the state budget office said
that figure cannot be known with certainty until January.
Another $195 million surplus is expected in the state's general
fund, according to House Fiscal Agency projections. That money
also could be shifted to schools, Booth reported.
Middle schools could receive $49 per student to enhance math
programs, totaling $18.5 million, according to Booth. Districts
that receive less than $7,200 per student could get an additional
$18 per pupil, Booth reported. Some 672 of the state's 768 school
districts, charter schools and intermediate school districts
would be eligible for that money. The plan would provide $16.5
million in addition to the extra $175 that public schools
received for each student as part of the 2005-2006 fiscal budget,
which brought the state foundation grant up to $6,875.
"There is an urgency here in helping our kids be successful in
school," Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, said.
Rep. Tim Moore, R-Farwell, said school funding should be more
equitable, according to Booth.
"Where a child lives shouldn't dictate how much that child's
education is worth," Moore said.
Rep. David Farhat, R-Muskegon, said he wants $20 million of the
additional $55 million placed in a rainy day fund, Booth
reported.
SOURCE:
Booth Newspapers, "GOP plan sends new money to schools,"
Nov. 22, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1132616402113090.xml?news/statewide?NE&coll=1
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Executive Order Cuts School
Funding," Feb. 18, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5034
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding, Proposal A
and Property Taxes," Nov. 5, 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3838
Michigan Education Report, "School Funding: Lack of Money or Lack
of Management?" Aug. 30, 2001
https://www.educationreport.org/3683
CHARTERS, INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS NOT WORRIED ABOUT K-PROMISE
Kalamazoo, Mich. - Leaders of charter and independent schools in
Kalamazoo are taking a "wait-and-see" approach to how they will
be impacted by a plan that will pay for college for Kalamazoo
Public Schools graduates, according to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
The "Kalamazoo Promise," announced earlier this month, is funded
by a group of anonymous donors. It will cover 100 percent of
college tuition at any Michigan public university for KPS
graduates enrolled since kindergarten, the Gazette reported.
Graduates enrolled since at least ninth grade will have 65
percent of college tuition paid for.
"This is a wonderful program for the community," said David
Rutten, executive director of Catholic Schools of Greater
Kalamazoo. "It's great to see that kind of generosity poured into
the community."
Larry Baker, superintendent of the Kalamazoo Christian School
Association, told the Gazette he doubts families in his schools
will leave. Those families, he said, are looking for a Christ-centered education that is not available in public schools.
"I'm just not that worried," he said. "We offer things KPS can't
offer. We pray in our schools. We talk about Jesus."
Rutten said the scholarship program could prompt students to
leave Catholic schools to attend a Kalamazoo public high school.
"Children can spend their first nine years (of schooling) with us
and they're only giving up 35 percent" of the scholarship, Rutten
told the Gazette.
"Sixty-five percent is still a very significant amount," Sharon
Lockett, director of Paramount Charter Academy in Kalamazoo, told
the Gazette.
Lockett said the Promise could affect Paramount's enrollment, but
her school offers things parents are looking for.
"We have a safe environment, moral guidance and academic
excellence," she told the newspaper. "We make sure that our
students are prepared for college when they do go."
SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Gazette, "Private, charter schools wait to see effect
of Promise," Nov. 17, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf? /base/news-15/1132248044262770.xml?kzgazette?NEKP&coll=7&thispage=1
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Kalamazoo Students Promised Free
College," Nov. 15, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7430
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Marketing Public Schools:
Competition for Students Heats Up," Aug. 13, 1999
https://www.mackinac.org/2134
OTSEGO BUS DRIVERS DROP MESSA
Otsego, Mich. - A new three-year contract between the Otsego
Public Schools and the district's 25 bus drivers will cut health
insurance costs by 10 percent, according to the Kalamazoo
Gazette. Drivers agreed to switch from the Michigan Education
Special Services Association to Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
MESSA is an insurance administrator established by the Michigan
Education Association. Drivers will get a 1 percent pay increase
this year, retroactive to July 1, and a 2 percent raise in the
second and third years, the Gazette said. The district faces a
projected $517,600 budget deficit.
Trustee Jerome Bohl was the only school board member to vote
against the contract, the Gazette reported. He said salary and
retirement agreements were too expensive, in light of the budget
shortfall, but he did favor the insurance change.
SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Gazette, "Otsego schools bus drivers' contract OK'd by
board," Nov. 15, 2005
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf? /base/news-15/1132086002134090.xml?kzgazette?NEKP&coll=7
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Michigan Education Special
Services Agency: The MEA's Money Machine," Nov. 1, 1993
https://www.mackinac.org/8
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Collective Bargaining:
Bringing Education to the Table," Aug. 1, 1998
https://www.mackinac.org/791
DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENROLLMENT DROPS AGAIN
Detroit, Mich. - Detroit Public Schools has 10,000 fewer students
than it did a year ago, according to The Detroit News. The lower
enrollment means $73 million less in state funding, although
school officials say they planned for such a reduction.
"We are not happy we lost 10,000 students but we are pleased we
met our projections," DPS spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo told The
News.
Detroit's enrollment was also about 10,000 students lower from
2003 to 2004, but the district underestimated that figure by
7,000, The News reported. That led to a budget deficit and the
need to borrow $200 million to balance a $1.4 billion budget. It
also necessitated closing 29 schools. Another 20 to 30 schools
could be closed this year, and more than 90 by 2009.
Earlier this year, DPS spent $500,000 in an effort to attract
more students, touting test score increases and new programs,
according to The News. Tanya Bradford, however, chose a charter
school for her son, a kindergartner, mainly for after-school
programs and smaller class sizes. She said she struggled with the
decision, The News reported.
"I would like to see the school system become stronger," she
said. "I love Detroit. I want to see it prosper."
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Detroit schools down by 10,000," Nov. 23, 2005
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20051123/SCHOOLS/511230328& SearchID=73227832836087
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Budgets: A Crisis of
Management, Not Finance," Feb. 11, 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/6980
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit-Area Schools Districts
Encourage Students to Attend Count Day," Oct. 4, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7373
TEACHERS SUE LAKEVIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS
St. Clair Shores, Mich. - The union representing teachers in the
Lakeview Public Schools is asking a circuit court judge to block
a health insurance plan imposed by the board of education after a
year of negotiations failed to bring about an agreement,
according to The Macomb Daily.
The school board in August declared an impasse in contract talks
and picked a Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan for the
more than 180 teachers in the district. Abandoning the Michigan
Education Special Services Association, a third-party insurance
administrator founded by the Michigan Education Association, is
expected to reduce the district's health care costs by more than
$500,000 this year, The Macomb Daily reported.
"We believe they are violating the law and imposing a changed
working condition without bargaining to an impasse," said union
attorney Daniel Hoekenga.
Lakeview Superintendent Sandra Feeley Myrand disagreed.
"The board has been careful to act with integrity during
negotiations," she told The Macomb Daily. "We are on two
different pages. We realize any entity can have their day in
court. (But) we will continue to seek ongoing negotiations."
An unfair labor practice charge the union filed against the
district will be heard by the Michigan Employment Relations
Commission in January 2006, The Macomb Daily reported.
SOURCE:
The Macomb Daily, "Lakeview Public Schools sued," Oct. 4, 2005
https://www.macombdaily.com/stories/100405/loc_skulsuit001.shtml
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Lakeview Drops MESSA," Aug. 30, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7327
Lakeview Public Schools, "Lakeview School Board takes action on
contracts," Aug. 11, 2005
http://www.lakeview.misd.net/Board/Press%20Release%20-%20 School%20Brd%20Takes%20Action%20on%20Contracts.pdf
(PDF file)
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Michigan Education Special
Services Association: The MEA's Money Machine," Nov. 1, 1993
https://www.mackinac.org/8
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 140,000 published by the Mackinac Center
for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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