Contents of this issue:
- Senate approves funding increases for schools
- MESSA finds loophole in insurance reform law, causes delays
- Spring Lake board of education may have violated meetings act
- Muskegon-area schools strive to remain competitive
- Linden teachers receive raises
- Comment and win an iPod
SENATE APPROVES FUNDING INCREASES FOR SCHOOLS
LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate approved a $13.4 billion K-12
public school budget, which includes per-pupil funding increases
ranging from $71 to $142 for each district, according to the
Associated Press.
Under the plan, all districts will receive an additional $71 per
student in funding, and the schools with foundation allowances of
$7,204 will have that additional per-pupil funding doubled. Districts with foundation allowances at or above $8,433 will
receive the smallest increase, the AP reported.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm had suggested revising the system in a
similar fashion to help close gaps in foundation allowances among
districts. The Senate implemented her idea, but reduced the size
of the increase due to a concern that tax revenues could be lower
than projected, according to the AP.
SOURCE:
The Associated Press, "Senate approves spending plan for public
schools," March 26, 2008
https://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-52/1206566346293490.xml&
storylist=newsmichigan
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "State Budget Process," in "A
Michigan School Money Primer," May 30, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8554
MESSA FINDS LOOPHOLE IN INSURANCE REFORM LAW, CAUSES DELAYS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Michigan Education Special Services
Association has found a loophole to delay the release of group
claims information that was meant to allow effective competitive
bidding on health insurance for Michigan school districts,
according to The Grand Rapids Press.
But MESSA, a third party administrator affiliated with the
Michigan Education Association school employees union, claims
that the law was actually written in a way that allows more time
for it. The delay means health benefits competition won't play a
role in employee contracts being negotiated this year, The Press
reported.
In a letter to MESSA Executive Director Cynthia Irwin, Senate
Majority Leader Mike Bishop sought an explanation for data
requests that had not been granted. "It's time for MESSA to fully
comply and release the claims data," he wrote. "The debate over
the law is finished."
The law, which went into effect on Dec. 1, 2007, states that
claims data "is required to be compiled beginning 60 days after
the effective date of this act." MESSA began compiling
information on Dec. 1. Irwin told The Press that before the law
was passed, MESSA did not sort claims by district, but by
geographic regions. MESSA plans to release data for December,
January and February sometime next month, according to The Press.
Even with the loophole, the new law still has merit, according to
a senior legislative staffer.
"We are ahead of where we were before this bill was enacted,"
Mike Gallagher, chief of staff for Rep. Mark Jansen, a sponsor of
the legislation, told The Press. "It's baby steps. We knew this
would be a challenge."
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Teachers union finds loophole in reform
law, will release some data soon," March 31, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/03/teachers_union_finds_loophole.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "MESSA says no to requests for
insurance information," Feb. 29, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9288
SPRING LAKE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY HAVE VIOLATED MEETINGS ACT
SPRING LAKE, Mich. — Concern has been raised that the Spring Lake
Board of Education may have violated the Open Meetings Act when
selecting two final candidates during its superintendent search,
according to the Grand Haven Tribune.
Dawn Hertz, general counsel for the Michigan Press Association,
said it is unclear if the board had a quorum during its March 15
deliberations. The board interviewed the final two of six
superintendent candidates and recessed after the interviews were
completed. During the recess, board members were observed talking
in different groups. When the board reconvened the meeting, no
discussion took place over two motions to advance two candidates
to a final interview. The first motion was unanimous; The second
vote was 6-1, the Tribune reported.
"What we don't know is if they were simply passing information
along, or if they were deliberating," Hertz told the Tribune. "If
they are just polling each other, and never repeated what person
A said to person B, or what C said to D, then that's OK. But if
one member is having a discussion with each other member and
telling them what Cindy Lou thinks or what Joe thinks, then the
(Open Meetings) Act kicks in."
The Michigan Open Meetings Act governs any actions by a public
governing body when a quorum, or majority of members, is present.
The act requires the governing body to conduct almost all
business in an open meeting. This includes discussions prior to
decision making and voting.
"The court says you can't do indirectly what must be done
directly in an open meeting," Hertz told the Tribune.
Open Meetings Act violations could result in a lawsuit by someone
who thought a decision was reached in violation of the act. When
concern was raised about the decision, the board re-voted at a
March 17 meeting with the same result, according to the Tribune.
"(The vote was taken) because we had some people concerned about
this very thing," Board President Madonna Kramer told the
Tribune. "We had sought counsel and they said we're in the right,
but we decided just to not make the public feel uncomfortable
with the process."
SOURCE:
Grand Haven Tribune, "Spring Lake school board's candidate
selection process questioned," March 25, 2008
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/293370540737197.bsp
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School District Checkbook
Register Report," March 13, 2008
https://www.mackinac.org/9329
MUSKEGON-AREA SCHOOLS STRIVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE
MUSKEGON, Mich. — Muskegon-area public, private and charter
schools are becoming aware of the importance of creating,
maintaining and promoting quality programs, as competition for
state dollars becomes increasingly important, according to The
Muskegon Chronicle.
"Our whole funding mechanism is based on the number of students
within the school system," Fruitport Community Schools
Superintendent Nick Ceglarek told The Chronicle. "If a particular
school system loses children, they lose funding, which results in
a diminished capacity to offer programs."
The Chronicle reported that many public school districts and
private schools are experiencing declining enrollment due to low
birth rates, families moving out of the area for economic
reasons, or parents choosing other public school districts.
Schools have responded by allocating funds for marketing and
advertising programs. Most of the public school districts in the
Muskegon area have agreed not to specifically target students
from outside their district, but can still promote themselves,
The Chronicle reported. Schools now market themselves by renting billboard space, posting
residential signs, airing radio commercials and sending mass
mailings to keep current students and attract new students. The
West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics in Ferrysburg is a K-8 charter school with a waiting list. Floyd Strandberg, the
Academy's director, purchased an electronic billboard on U.S. 31.
He paid $15,000 for the sign and saw the benefits of the purchase
early, according to The Chronicle.
"The day we put the sign up, three people came in to enroll their
children, so it pretty much paid for itself," said Strandberg.
"We advertise our arts program, and that we are a public school
with no tuition."
Some schools are using interactive technology to attract parents
and students. The Greater Muskegon Catholic Schools' Web site
contains video testimonials from students, alumni and staff. The
site also includes a virtual tour of the school's facilities with
proposed upgrades. Superintendent Robert Bridges said it took a
while to get school leaders on board with active marketing, The
Chronicle reported.
"Part of the idea of being a good Christian is being humble.
Sometimes we feel a bit funny boasting about ourselves, but we
feel we have a great product in that we're a faith-based school
focused on academic excellence," said Bridges. "But there are
good schools in this area, and we have to really sell this great
product."
Many districts and charter schools still maintain that word of
mouth advertising has the greatest effect on perceptions.
"The majority of our marketing and/or public relations efforts
are focused on providing outstanding customer service, standing
behind our philosophy and practice of: 'Our students are worth
whatever it takes,'" Muskegon Technical Academy Superintendent
Barbara Stellard told The Chronicle. "Delivering on that results
in parents and students sharing by word of mouth the attributes
of our academy program."
SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Promotional pull by schools,"
March 24, 2008
https://www.mlive.com/news/chronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1206371712106160.xml&coll=8
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Conclusion: Competition Is
Improving Public Schools for Michigan Children," in "The Impact
of Limited School Choice on Public School Districts,"
July 24, 2000
https://www.mackinac.org/2979
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Nonresident Student
Adjustment Under Sections 105 and 105c," in "A Michigan School
Money Primer," May 30, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8628#nonassign
LINDEN TEACHERS RECEIVE RAISES
LINDEN, Mich. — The Linden teachers union and the board of
education have agreed to a new contract that includes a pay
increase and slightly higher prescription co-pays, according to
The Flint Journal.
The three-year contract includes a 2-percent raise for 2007-2008
and a 1.5-percent raise for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. The union
also agreed that teachers would pay slightly more toward their
prescription coverage. The co-pay for a generic drug will
increase from $5 to $10, The Journal reported. The teachers will
still receive insurance coverage administered by the Michigan
Education Special Services Association, a third party
administrator affiliated with the Michigan Education Association
school employees union.
"The board is very excited to be able to ratify this agreement,"
board President Elaine Porter told The Journal. "We think this is
a fair agreement for both sides."
The union was also happy with the contract. Linden teachers were
previously on a one-year contract, according to The Journal.
"The three-year contract provides stability for the district and
our members," LEA President Cathy North told The Journal. "It's a
very fair contract for both sides. We realize times are tough for
the district but we also realize we are not in the middle of the
county in terms of our pay."
The district also plans on offering an early retirement incentive
to help pay for the raises, The Journal reported.
SOURCE:
The Flint Journal, "Linden teachers get new contract,"
March 28, 2008
https://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/03/linden_teachers_get_new_contra.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan School Databases, "Michigan School District Collective
Bargaining Agreements: Linden Community Schools"
https://www.mackinac.org/depts/epi/agreement.aspx?DCode1=25250
Michigan Education Report, "Growing number of districts seek
solutions to costly health insurance," Dec. 15, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7479
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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