Contents of this issue:
- Bay Mills accepting charter applications
- School aid bill slow to move out of committee
- Pinckney closing historic school
- DPS to re-examine food services contract
- Summer school — the new graduation requirement?
BAY MILLS ACCEPTING CHARTER APPLICATIONS
BRIMLEY, Mich. — Bay Mills Community College is accepting
applications for new charter public high schools that would be
aimed at serving urban areas across Michigan, according to the
Detroit Examiner.
"The dropout problem in urban areas of Michigan is a serious
issue in need of a solution," said Patrick Shannon, director of
charter schools for BMCC, according to the Examiner. "The goal
of Bay Mills Community College is to focus our efforts on
providing opportunities for secondary public charter schools
where they are needed the most."
BMCC authorizes 37 public charter schools that serve 15,000
students across Michigan, according to the Examiner.
SOURCE:
Detroit Examiner, "Bay Mills Community College Accepting Charter
School Applications," May 5, 2008
http://www.examiner.com/p-159651~Bay_Mills_Community_College_Accepting_
Charter_School_Applications.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Court of Appeals rejects MEA suit
over Bay Mills charters," Sept 6, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7898
SCHOOL AID BILL SLOW TO MOVE OUT OF COMMITTEE
LANSING, Mich. — The chairman of the House School Aid Budget
Appropriations Committee said he is in "no hurry" to put the
bill to a vote of the full House of Representatives, according
to the Michigan Information & Research Service.
"I'm not concerned about putting it out before or after the May
revenue estimating conference," Rep. Matt Gillard, D-Alpena,
told MIRS.
Gillard has scheduled two weeks of hearings on the legislation,
which has already passed the Michigan Senate, MIRS reported.
The Senate version would increase the amount the state
Legislature spends on public schools by nearly $370 million to
$13.38 billion, but is $140 million less than the amount Gov. Jennifer Granholm requested, according to MIRS.
SOURCE:
MIRS, "Gillard: No Rush on School Aid Budget," April 30, 2008
https://mirsnews.com/capsule.php?gid=985#15078
(subscription required)
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Michigan School Money
Primer," May 30, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8534
PINCKNEY CLOSING HISTORIC SCHOOL
PINCKNEY, Mich. — Pinckney Community Schools is closing an
elementary school built in 1901, according to the Lansing State
Journal.
The district's proposed spending for the 2008-2009 school year
is over budget by $1.9 million, the Journal reported. Hamburg
Elementary School was built in 1901 and has been expanded three
times. Students have been assigned to two of the district's
other elementary schools, but may also opt to use the schools of
choice program, according to the Journal.
SOURCE:
Lansing State Journal, "Pinckney will close school viewed as
local landmark," May 6, 2008
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/ NEWS05/805060309/1006/NEWS05
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Pinckney schools consider
contracting for janitorial services," April 15, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9391
DPS TO RE-EXAMINE FOOD SERVICES CONTRACT
DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools this week will vote on
terminating its contract with the private firm that runs the
district's food services, according to The Detroit News.
A board subcommittee has suggested getting rid of Philadelphia-based Aramark Education Services LLC, which has held the DPS contract since 2001, The News reported.
At least one union has accused Aramark of keeping $1 million
that should have been given to the district, according to The
News.
"There has been no evidence of any improper billing," Aramark
spokeswoman Karen Cutler told The News.
The News also reported that the Michigan Department of Education
has said Aramark is in "full compliance" with its contract.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Detroit school board to consider replacing
food service provider," May 3, 2008
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080503/SCHOOLS/805030333
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A School Privatization
Primer," June 26, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8691
SUMMER SCHOOL — THE NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENT?
MIDLAND, Mich., — As Michigan raises the bar on high school
coursework, public school districts are spreading safety nets to
catch students who can't quite reach it. Extra help? It's
available before, during and after school. Homework question? Try the teacher's online hotline. Borderline grades? Mandatory
math club awaits.
And when all else fails, including the student, school districts
are offering second chances through summer school and online
courses.
Educators across Michigan discuss how the new high school
graduation requirements are playing out in their classrooms for
a feature article at
www.educationreport.org,
an online publication of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "Graduation requirements: Michigan
schools hope for the best, prepare for the worst," May 6, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9457
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Will a state-mandated high school
curriculum of 18 credits ensure better-prepared students in the
21st century? Yes," March 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7635
Michigan Education Report, "Well-intentioned folly: 'High
standards' may leave some behind," Feb. 29, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9299
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
an online 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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