Contents of this issue:
- Study: One in 10 schools labeled "dropout factories"
- Educators push to raise compulsory school attendance age
- Education group awards legislators for school benefits reform
- Two special education busing employees fired for negligence
- Comment and win an iPod
STUDY: ONE IN 10 SCHOOLS LABELED "DROPOUT FACTORIES"
FLINT, Mich. — A national study found that one out of 10 high
schools across the nation fail to graduate at least 60 percent
of the students who are assigned to the school as freshman. Seven schools in the Flint area fall into this category, but
school officials are disputing the label, according to The Flint
Journal.
The study was conducted by Johns Hopkins University for the
Associated Press and used data from the U.S. Department of
Education that tracked graduating classes from 2004 through
2006. Flint area schools included on the list are International
Academy of Flint, Bendle High School, Bentley High School,
Carman-Ainsworth High School, Flint Central Academy, Flint
Northwestern Academy and Flint Northern Academy. State
statistics report that only two of these schools, Flint Central
and Flint Northern high schools, had a graduation rate lower
than 60 percent, The Journal reported.
According to data from Michigan's Center for Educational
Performance & Information, Bendle, Bentley and Carman-Ainsworth
high schools and International Academy of Flint had graduation
rates above 90 percent in 2004-2005. Traci Cormier, director of
the International Academy, noted the disparity in figures is a
result of students transferring out of the school because of its
academic rigor, according to The Journal.
Michigan is planning to calculate its 2007 graduation rate using
a formula specified under the No Child Left Behind Act, which
reflects an attempt to standardize reporting across the nation,
The Journal reported.
SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Area high schools listed as 'dropout
factories,'" Oct. 31, 2007
https://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-47/1193840469116790.xml&coll=5
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Graduation Rates an
Imperfect Measure of School Excellence," Jan. 7, 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/3932
EDUCATORS PUSH TO RAISE COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE
LANSING, Mich. — Education leaders are pushing legislators to
increase the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18,
according to The Grand Rapids Press.
A bill to mandate the change is being discussed in the Senate
Education Committee. Currently, 20 states and Washington D.C.,
require students to attend school past the age of 16, and 12
require students to remain enrolled until they are 18, The Press
reported.
"The bill is absolutely a concern to us but, like a great many
things these days, it comes down to money," Darin Ackerman, Sen.
Wayne Kuipers' chief of staff, told The Press. "You can't just
raise the age and not provide the kinds of alternative programs
these students will need."
The bill has won the support of some educators throughout the
state, including Grand Rapids Superintendent Bernard Taylor and
Justin King, executive director of the Michigan Association of
School Boards.
"I don't see how they have time to work on laws like prohibiting
people from jumping off piers and not touch this," King told The
Press.
Wyoming Superintendent Jon Felske supports the legislation but
says the issue is more complex than people think.
"On one hand, do you want to have in your classes a 16-year-old
kid who doesn't want to be there and is a potential discipline
problem and disruption to all the other students?" Felske told
The Press. "On the other, do you want to have laws in this state
that would leave people to believe that they don't need a high
school diploma to be successful in life?"
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Stay-in-school bill is held back,"
Nov. 4, 2007
https://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-39/1194160919193940.xml&coll=6
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Should Michigan raise the compulsory
school attendance age from 16 to 18? No, Michigan should figure
out why students leave," May 24, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8508
EDUCATION GROUP AWARDS LEGISLATORS FOR SCHOOL BENEFITS REFORM
Grand Rapids, Mich. — The Education Action Group has awarded two
legislators for their work in trying to reduce health insurance
costs for public school employees, according to the Grand Haven
Tribune.
The group awarded State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, and Rep.
Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, with bronze eagle statues for
their roles in the passage of legislation that will reduce costs
for schools and increase competition for school employee health
insurance, the Tribune reported.
According to
MichiganVotes.org, Senate Bill 418 will require
third-party administrators such as the Michigan Education
Special Services Association to disclose aggregate claims data
so that school districts can use the information to seek
competitive health insurance bids. MESSA is affiliated with the
Michigan Education Association school employee union and
outsources insurance underwriting for school districts. SB 418
was signed into law by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Oct. 1, 2007.
SOURCES:
Grand Haven Tribune, "Kuipers honored by school advocacy group,"
Nov. 1, 2007
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/298785305782920.bsp
MichiganVotes.org, "2007 Senate Bill 418"
https://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=53141
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Selective Moral Outrage,"
Sept. 24, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/9003
TWO SPECIAL EDUCATION BUS EMPLOYEES FIRED FOR NEGLIGENCE
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. — Highland Park school officials reported a
bus company fired a driver and aide after a special needs
student was left on a bus all day, according to The Detroit
News.
The boy was picked up in the morning and he fell asleep on the
way to school. In the afternoon, the bus aide discovered the boy
was not at school when it was time to be picked up, The News
reported. School officials and the boy's family were told that
he had been dropped off at the wrong elementary school. ABC
Student Transportation, the company hired for special education
busing, sent a notice to the district that the two employees had
been fired and promised to take corrective action, according to
Highland Park School Board member Robert Davis, The News
reported.
"It is a very unfortunate situation," Davis told The News. "We
hope this does not happen again and if so, we'll look for a new
transportation company."
ABC declined to comment on the issue, according to The News.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Two fired after pupil is left on bus,"
Nov. 1, 2007
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/SCHOOLS/711010371/1026
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Monitor. Monitor. Monitor.,"
in "A School Privatization Primer," June 26, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8733
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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