NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST WILL NOT BE
PUBLISHED ON JAN. 2, 2007. THE FIRST ISSUE OF 2007 WILL BE
DISTRIBUTED JAN. 9.
Contents of this issue:
- Granholm signs 'Michigan Promise' scholarships bill
- Vicksburg support staff take 0.48 percent raise, keep insurance
- Escanaba nonunion employees choose less expensive health care
- Win an iPod
GRANHOLM SIGNS 'MICHIGAN PROMISE' SCHOLARSHIPS BILL
LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a bill offering
$4,000 state scholarships to high school students who meet
certain state requirements and pursue postsecondary education,
The Detroit News reported.
The scholarships will start with the class of 2007 and will
replace the $2,500 Michigan Merit Award for success on the
Michigan Educational Assessment Program high school test. Under
the new program, students who do well on the state standardized
high school tests and enter college or trade school will receive
$1,000 at the beginning of both their freshman and sophomore
years and an additional $2,000 after the completion of their
second year, according to The News. Students who do not excel on
the state tests, but maintain a 2.5 grade point average for two
years of postsecondary education will receive $4,000 upon
completion of their second year, The News reported.
SOURCES:
The Detroit News, "Granholm signs pledges of students who say
they'll go to college," Dec. 19, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/UPDATE/612190436& SearchID=73266751292407
The Detroit News, "Senate OKs $4,000 Merit scholarships,"
Dec. 14, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061214/SCHOOLS/612140419& SearchID=73266751833295
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "More diplomas, more ivory tower
research won't cure Michigan's ills," March 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7632
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Universities and Economic
Development," Sept. 26, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7944
VICKSBURG SUPPORT STAFF TAKE 0.48 PERCENT RAISE, KEEP INSURANCE
VICKSBURG, Mich. — Vicksburg Community Schools support staff
decided to keep their current health insurance plan and thereby
accept the lowest pay increase offered by the school district,
according to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
The Vicksburg school board reportedly offered the support staff
six contract options for pay, insurance and other benefits. The
staff chose to maintain their present health insurance plan,
which was the most expensive plan offered, and receive a pay
raise of 0.48 percent, the smallest raise the board offered. If
the staff had agreed to less expensive health insurance coverage,
they could have seen a pay increase of up to 3.75 percent, the
Gazette reported.
SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Gazette, "Vicksburg schools approves contract for
support personnel," Dec. 19, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1166545327280750.xml&coll=7
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Blue Cross and MESSA," Sept. 6, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7907
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "MESSA Reference Page,"
March 10, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7643
ESCANABA NONUNION EMPLOYEES CHOOSE LESS EXPENSIVE HEALTH CARE
ESCANABA, Mich. — Escanaba administrators and nonunion personnel
have decided to switch to a less expensive health insurance plan,
according to The Escanaba Daily Press.
The Daily Press reported that the contracts, which were ratified
last week, include a switch from the Michigan Education Special
Services Association Supercare I plan to the less costly MESSA
Choices II. All five employment groups in the district are now
covered under Choices II, according to The Daily Press. MESSA is
a third-party health insurance administrator affiliated with the
Michigan Education Association, a school employees union.
Under the new arrangement, employees will spend more on
prescription co-pays, but will also realize lower monthly
premiums, The Daily Press reported.
SOURCE:
The Escanaba Daily Press, "School contracts OK'd," Dec. 19, 2006
http://www.dailypress.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=6654
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Escanaba teachers get raises linked
to health care costs," Oct. 10, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7991
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Decades of Dollars and
Disappointment," Oct. 6, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7969
WIN AN IPOD
MIDLAND, Mich. — Michigan Education Report is offering readers a
chance to win an iPod when they comment on articles in its Winter
2006 issue. Comments can be made via e-mail about stories on
alternative teacher certification
(
https://www.educationreport.org/8017),
successful public school
reform (
https://www.educationreport.org/8026)
and Michigan's cap
on charter public schools (
https://www.educationreport.org/8043
and
https://www.educationreport.org/8044). Please visit
www.educationreport.org for more
information.
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of approximately 150,000 published by the
Mackinac Center for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a
private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational
institute.
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