Contents of this issue:
- Students perform poorly on Michigan Merit Exam
- Marshall school board unanimously supports custodial contract
- Howell schools save after competitively contracting
- Marquette schools push for health insurance contribution
- Northville hires energy consultant; plans to save $3.5 million
- Comment and win an iPod
STUDENTS PERFORM POORLY ON MICHIGAN MERIT EXAM
DETROIT — Sixty-five percent of high school juniors did not
perform well enough on the state's new Michigan Merit Exam to
receive the $4,000 scholarship promised to students who pass the
test, according to The Detroit News.
Only 47 percent of juniors passed the math portion of the MME,
while 60 percent were proficient in reading and 40 percent met or
exceeded standards for writing. Students performed best on the
social studies test, with 83 percent meeting or exceeding state
standards, The News reported.
District and state officials alike were disappointed in the
results.
"I am very, very disappointed in the test results," Southfield
High School Principal Michael Horn told The News. "All of us are
at fault. We must acknowledge that. We failed our kids."
Juniors in Southfield struggled with the math and writing portion
of the test; 19 percent passed math and 27 percent passed the
writing test, according to The News.
State officials agree the results were not ideal, but Kathleen N.
Straus, president of the State Board of Education, expected these
results because the test reflects the state's new high school
graduation requirements. These requirements will apply to this
year's freshmen. Straus questions the idea of testing students on
a curriculum they may not have taken, The News reported.
"It was kind of backwards. The test is ahead of the curriculum,
and that's a problem. It's not fair to anybody to do it this
way," Straus told The News.
In order to receive the state's $4,000 Michigan Promise
Scholarship, a student must pass the math, reading, science and
writing portions of the exam. Students who did not pass one or
more of these tests can try again during two testing windows in
their senior year. If they are still unable to pass the exam,
they will be eligible for a $4,000 reimbursement after completing
two years of college or a vocational program, according to The
News.
"Under the new rules, you simply have to take the test," Granholm
spokeswoman Liz Boyd told The News. "We didn't think how you
scored on a test should make you ineligible for funds for your
education. Some students may not test well, or they might just be
having a bad day."
Another aspect of the new MME is the inclusion of the ACT.
Michigan high school juniors averaged a composite score of 19 on
the college entrance exam. Students in the class of 2007 averaged
two points higher, but only college-bound students took the test.
ACT spokesman Ed Colby said that a sudden drop in the average ACT
is expected and a similar experience occurred in Colorado and
Illinois, the only other states to require that all students take
the ACT. The scores in those two states have improved over time,
The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Merit test scores fall short," Aug. 16, 2007
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/SCHOOLS/708160407/1003/METRO
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Better writing: High-scoring schools
say it's not easy," Aug. 15, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8821
Michigan Education Digest, "State: juniors must take ACT,"
Sept. 6, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7906
Michigan Education Report, "Hope in state graduation standards
misplaced," March 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7633
MARSHALL SCHOOL BOARD UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS CUSTODIAL CONTRACT
MARSHALL, Mich. — Marshall Public Schools will save between
$775,000 and $1.1 million over the next three years after
unanimously voting to competitively contract for custodial
services, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.
The district contracted with Grand Rapids Building Services,
which plans to hire 20 local employees. The Marshall schools
currently employ 21 custodians. Both the company and district
administration say preference will be given to current district
employees. Marshall custodians currently make between $10.19 and
$12.21. Grand Rapids Building Services will pay between $9.25 and
$11.50 for custodial positions and offer a health insurance plan
for $10 a week, according to the Enquirer.
"This is not a brand new idea," board Treasurer Dan Stulberg told
the Enquirer. "It's been tested in dozens of schools in dozens of
states. It's growing each year because it works."
SOURCE:
Battle Creek Enquirer, "District outsources custodial services,"
Aug. 14, 2007
http://battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/NEWS01/708140327
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Survey 2007: More Growth in
School Support Service Privatization," Aug. 16, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8881
Michigan Education Digest, "Jackson schools extend contract with
cleaning service," March 27, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8362
Michigan Education Digest, "Competitive contracting popular in
Port Huron area," March 20, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8357
HOWELL SCHOOLS SAVE AFTER COMPETITIVELY CONTRACTING
HOWELL, Mich. — Howell Public Schools will save $400,000 in its
first year after competitively contracting for custodial
services, according to The Detroit News.
The district signed a three-year contract with Grand Rapids
Building Services, a company that contracts with 17 other
districts in the state. The last day for current district
custodians will be Aug. 29, but they will continue to receive two
months of health benefits from the district, The News reported.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions," board member Mary
Jo Dymond told The News. "We've been thinking about this for
three years because we knew about the economic conditions."
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Howell school board lays off 38 custodians,"
Aug. 14, 2007
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/METRO04/708140402/1015
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Survey 2007: More Growth in
School Support Service Privatization," Aug. 16, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8881
Michigan Education Digest, "Howell looks to cut $2.1 million
after signing teacher contract," June 26, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8692
Michigan Education Report, "Profit has a role in public schools,"
Feb. 23, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8250
MARQUETTE SCHOOLS PUSH FOR HEALTH INSRUANCE CONTRIBUTION
MARQUETTE, Mich. — Marquette Public Schools and the Marquette
Area Education Association are at an impasse over contract
negotiations, with the sticking point being health benefits,
according to The Mining Journal.
Because of the impasse, teachers are likely to start the school
year being paid under their old contract. The district has
offered the union two contract options. The first would pay
teachers on the same salary schedule as last year, but would
allow teachers to keep health benefits through the Michigan
Education Special Services Association, according to The Journal.
MESSA is a third-party administrator affiliated with the Michigan
Education Association school employees' union.
The second contract option would include a 2 percent pay increase
each year, for two years, and would require teachers to
contribute to the cost of their own health insurance, according
to The Journal.
SOURCE:
The Mining Journal, "Teachers still hope for contract before
start of school," Aug. 16, 2007
http://www.miningjournal.net/stories/articles.asp?articleID=18821
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Health care holds up contract
negotiations in Grand Blanc," July 10, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8799
Michigan Education Digest, "Flint area schools battle over health
insurance," May 22, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8617
Michigan Education Digest, "Royal Oak teachers protest at board
meeting, want to keep MESSA," May 1, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8483
NORTHVILLE HIRES ENERGY CONSULTANT; PLANS TO SAVE $3.5 MILLION
NORTHVILLE, Mich. — Northville Public Schools signed a contract
with a private energy management consultant and is expecting to
save $3.5 million over seven years, according to the Northville
Record.
Energy Education, a Dallas-based company, will provide the
district with specific direction for reducing electric, gas and
water usage. Under the contract, Northville will pay the company
about $15,000 per month for four years and will also hire a part-time energy manager. If the district does not save as much money
as Energy Education estimates, the company will return the
difference, the Record reported.
The consulting company has contracts with a number of other
Michigan districts, including Novi and Walled Lake. Both
districts have seen large savings through working with Energy
Education. Northville administrators worked to create a two-year
energy saving plan, but failed to meet its goal, according to the
Record.
"It's been our goal for the last three years to make improvements
with our energy costs," Dave Bolitho, Northville assistant
superintendent of administrative services told the Record. "We've
tried to do it ourselves, and we were close, but we never fully
realized our savings. I think we can expect a significant savings
with a partnership with (Energy Education, Inc.)."
SOURCE:
Northville Record, "School board approves energy-saving measure,"
Aug. 16, 2007
http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/NEWS12/708160347/1029
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Districts could save money with
private energy consultant," Dec. 12, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8113
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
COMMENT AND WIN AN IPOD
MIDLAND, Mich. — Go to
https://educationreport.org and post a comment for a chance to win one of three iPods.
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
(
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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