Contents of this issue:
- Insurance sold by MESSA a major issue in metro Detroit, state
- Detroit mayor encouraging more charter schools
- DPS board member could see jail time
- Long-time school bandit suspect arrested in Florida
- Carsonville-Port Sanilac Schools consider wind power
- Win an iPod; Map: Does your district competitively contract?
INSURANCE SOLD BY MESSA A MAJOR ISSUE IN METRO DETROIT, STATE
DETROIT — Health benefits have been a major issue in recent
school employee contract negotiations in the metro Detroit area,
according to the Detroit Free Press.
According to the Free Press, costs for insurance benefits sold
by the Michigan Education Special Services Association, a third-party health administrator affiliated with the Michigan
Education Association school employees union, are on the rise.
The Southfield School District, for example, pays $16,300 per
employee each year, almost twice as much as it cost in 1997. In
2006, MESSA administered insurance to about 75 percent of the
state's school districts. Its premiums have come under scrutiny
as the state attempts to control education costs, the Free Press
reported.
A 2004 survey by Standard & Poor's found that benefits cost 42
percent more in Michigan school districts compared to the
national average. In 2006, the average cost per Michigan school
employee was $11,300, according to the Free Press.
The coverage, which includes a Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy
with some additional benefits, usually requires minimal out-of-pocket expenses for school employees.
"We deserve some good health care. We're raising our future,"
Woodhaven-Brownstown teacher Caryn Jimenez told the Free Press.
The difference between insurance costs in the public sector and
private sector, where employees usually contribute to their own
health coverage, is causing school boards and administrators to
look for other options. Many districts are trying to look for
less expensive insurance rates, but are having trouble getting
accurate cost comparisons because MESSA refuses to provide
claims data, according to the Free Press.
"It's like trying to move a mountain to move teachers to another
health care plan," Wayne-Westland Schools Superintendent Glen
Baracy told the Free Press.
In total, school employees' health benefits and pensions cost
Michigan taxpayers $4 billion a year, the Free Press reported.
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Price of teachers' benefits soars,"
March 26, 2007
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070326/NEWS06/703260369/1008
Detroit Free Press, "Teachers love their MESSA health plans,"
March 26, 2007
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070326/NEWS06/703260370
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "School districts report saving money
in insurance pool," Feb. 23, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8239
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Boards and Teachers
Should Address Their Own Insurance Issues," Feb. 15, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8257
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "MESSA: Keeping School
Districts From Saving Money on Health Care," Nov. 3, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5924
DETROIT MAYOR ENCOURAGING MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS
DETROIT — Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is openly promoting an
increase in the number of charter public schools within the city
in an effort to prevent families from moving, according to the
Detroit Free Press.
Kilpatrick spokesman Matt Allen told the Free Press that the
mayor is getting involved with the city's education because many
of the buildings on the Detroit Public School's proposed closing
list are in new housing developments. The mayor also believes
that families will want choices in their education, Allen told
the Free Press.
Kilpatrick has already offered to help open four new charter
public schools in the fall of 2008 authorized through Grand
Valley State University. Wayne County Community College has many
charter schools outside Detroit, but can open an unlimited
number within the city if DPS enrollment drops below 100,000
students, the Free Press reported.
DPS board President Jimmy Womack hasn't discussed charter public
schools with the mayor, but understands why Kilpatrick supports
them.
"Most people move out of the city to provide a better life for
their families, and you hear people constantly talking about
moving to a city with better schools," Womack told the Free
Press. "My job as a board member is to make Detroit Public
Schools the best option for parents."
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "Charter boom could begin," March 28, 2007
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007703280401
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "DPS enrollment down by thousands,"
Feb. 23, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8237
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Legislators: Listen to
Detroit Parents," Feb. 5, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8205
Michigan Education Report, "Should Michigan lift the cap on
charter public schools? Yes," Nov. 21, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8043
DPS BOARD MEMBER COULD SEE JAIL TIME
DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools board member Jonathan Kinloch
may face 30 days in jail for failing to meet the conditions of
his drunken driving plea deal, according to The Detroit News.
In 2005, Kinloch pleaded guilty to second offense drunken
driving in order to avoid jail time for his third offense. According to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, the condition
of the original plea deal, which included a 30 day sentence in
jail, was changed by the judge at a later date, the Free Press
reported.
Worthy said she is planning to enforce the original agreement
and Kinloch must either serve his jail sentence or he will be
prosecuted for third offense drunken driving, according to the
Free Press.
Kinloch refused to comment before seeking legal advice, the Free
Press reported.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "DPS board member faces jail time,"
March 30, 2007
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070330/METRO01/703300385/1006
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "State to grade safety of schools,"
Nov. 19, 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4859
LONG-TIME SCHOOL BANDIT SUSPECT ARRESTED IN FLORIDA
OCALA, Fla. — A man suspected of entering schools throughout
Michigan and stealing money from classrooms, desks and purses
was found in Florida by the Michigan State Police and placed
into custody by Florida police, according to the Lapeer County
Press.
Alfred James Bailey, 49, who was last reported living in Grand
Blanc, is suspected to be the criminal caught roaming schools in
Dryden, Metamora, North Branch, Imlay City, New Baltimore, Novi
and Royal Oak, the County Press reported.
Police say a man would usually appear during after-school
activities and was hard to catch because he would blend in by
claiming he was looking for a meeting and would leave before
police would arrive at the school, according to the County
Press.
Bailey is currently charged with a felony for entry without
breaking with intent to steal and is a primary suspect in other
investigations, the County Press reported.
"He's a career criminal," Michigan State Police First Lieut. Patrick McGreevy told the County Press. "We're glad to take him
off the streets and out of the schools where he was a danger to
students and staff."
According to McGreevy, Bailey has a criminal record dating back
to 1970 in Michigan, Florida, Kansas and Arizona.
SOURCE:
Lapeer County Press, "School bandit suspect is caught in
Florida," March 30, 2007
http://www.countypress.com/stories/033007/loc_20070330002.shtml
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Parents Still Have an Option
to Check Kids' Safety," Feb. 2, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7574
Michigan Education Report, "The three P's of school safety,"
Fall 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/3134
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Protection: A
Growing Industry Could Enhance School Safety," Nov. 16, 1998
https://www.mackinac.org/802
CARSONVILLE-PORT SANILAC SCHOOLS CONSIDER WIND POWER
CARSONVILLE, Mich. — Carsonville-Port Sanilac Superintendent
Harold Titus is looking to save the district some money in the
long-run by using wind turbines to produce the district's
electricity, according to the Port Huron Times Herald.
A representative from Woodland Wind LLC will speak to the board
later this month about the possibility of utilizing wind power
in the district. This company also helped bring wind turbines to
the Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker Schools in Huron County, the
Times Herald reported.
Titus hopes to receive some grant money for the project and
will, in turn, include alternative energy in the Carsonville-Port Sanilac curriculum, according to the Times Herald.
SOURCE:
Port Huron Times Herald, "Schools see future in wind power,"
March 26, 2007
https://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070326/NEWS01/703260303/1002
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Merrill schools move to alternative
fuel," Nov. 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8059
Michigan Education Digest, "Private firm helps Battle Creek
schools cut energy costs," July 19, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7817
Michigan Education Digest, "Walled Lake implements program to
save on energy," Nov. 1, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7417
WIN AN IPOD; MAP: DOES YOUR DISTRICT COMPETITIVELY CONTRACT?
MIDLAND, Mich. — The spring issue of Michigan Education Report
offers a map illustrating which districts have taken advantage
of competitive contracting. It can be accessed here:
https://www.educationreport.org/archives/2007/mer2007-01maps.pdf
Michigan Education Report is offering readers a chance to win an
iPod when they comment on articles in its spring 2007 issue.
Comments can be made via e-mail about stories on the U.S. House
Fellows program (
https://www.educationreport.org/8238),
school district health benefits savings
(
https://www.educationreport.org/8239),
whether private employees in public schools provide the same quality of service as public employees in public schools (
https://educationreport.org/8254
and
https://www.educationreport.org/8255), a community college cooperating with home-school students
(
https://www.educationreport.org/8228)
and the role of profit in public schools (
https://www.educationreport.org/8250). Please visit
https://www.educationreport.org/8332 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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