Contents of this issue:
- Rally to protest Detroit charter public schools planned
- Detroit charter public schools run summer leadership program
- Washtenaw public schools competing for students
- DPS gets cash advance on state aid
- Legislature sets school spending
RALLY TO PROTEST DETROIT CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS PLANNED
DETROIT — Two former Detroit Public Schools teachers are
organizing a Wednesday rally in Lansing to protest the
possibility of more charter public schools in Detroit, according
to The Detroit News.
Steve Conn and Heather Miller, who also are suing DPS over their
firings related to a protest last year on school closures, are
organizing the rally, The News reported.
"We have stopped Lansing's charter school legislation many times
before, but only by mobilizing Detroiters to get there — but
usually at the last minute, because the state government does so
much of its business in secret," a press release from Conn and
Miller stated, according to The News.
At issue is the designation of DPS as a "first-class" district
under state law. If DPS falls below 100,000 students, Bay Mills
and Wayne County community colleges would be able to open
charter schools within the district, The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Rally planned to protest charter schools in
Detroit," July 22, 2008
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/SCHOOLS/ 807220302
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Colleges: 'Wait and see' on Detroit
charter schools," April 7, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9361
DETROIT CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS RUN SUMMER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
DETROIT — Students enrolled in a summer leadership program at
six Detroit charter public schools have a chance to gain four
months of reading, writing and math skills, according to the
Detroit Free Press.
"There is an extensive body of research that says children
living in low-income communities lose three months of skills
over the summer," Earl Martin Phalen, CEO of Building Educated
Leaders for Life (BELL), told the Free Press. "When you're able
to turn that to not losing but gaining skills, that has a
profound impact."
BELL was founded in 1992 by a group of Harvard law students. The
program is being held at six charter public schools in Detroit
operated by National Heritage Academies.
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "Detroit-area charter schools' program helps
kids," July 20, 2008
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/CFP11/ 807200368/1003/NEWS01
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Charter students growing up,"
Nov. 14, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/9091
WASHTENAW COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPETING FOR STUDENTS
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Conventional public school districts in
Washtenaw County are trying to attract more students with
marketing campaigns that include billboards, radio ads and
teachers knocking on doors are, according to The Ann Arbor News.
Ann Arbor Public Schools is spending about $75,000 in an attempt
to increase enrollment 1 percent, or about 200 students, The
News reported. Willow Run Community Schools is spending $65,000
on radio ads, while administrators and teachers from one
elementary school in that district have canvassed neighborhoods
three times since June, according to The News.
Washtenaw County private schools saw enrollment increase 22
percent last year, while enrollment in conventional public
schools in the county fell 2.1 percent, The News reported. Fortis Academy, a charter public school in Ypsilanti, had a
waiting list of about 700 students last year.
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Schools vie for students — Competition
especially heated in east Washtenaw County," July 19, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/07/schools_view_for_students_ comp.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Public schools step up marketing"
Jan. 18, 1999
https://www.educationreport.org/1587
DPS GETS CASH ADVANCE ON STATE AID
DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools recently received two separate
payments of $19 million each from the state ahead of schedule,
according to The Detroit News.
A July 20 payment was made July 7, and an Aug. 20 payment was
made July 21, The News reported.
"This is an important matter," district spokesman Steve Wasko
told The News. "The Michigan Department of Education has
assisted the district at times when cash flow would have been an
issue, and they have responded because of the trust they have in
district leadership at this time."
Private vendors holding contracts with the school, including a
janitorial company that said it could go out of business because
the district owes it money for past work, have not been paid,
The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "State gives Detroit Public Schools cash
advance," July 21, 2008
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/METRO/ 807210403/1361
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "DPS overspending pegged at $408
million for 2009," June 27, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9611
LEGISLATURE SETS SCHOOL SPENDING
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan will spend about $13.4 billion in
state money on public education in the 2008-2009 school year,
according to the Detroit Free Press.
The budget includes per-pupil funding increases of between $56
and $122, and $15 million for smaller high schools meant to
decrease drop-out rates, the Free Press reported. A House-Senate
conference committee must now reconcile bills passed by each
chamber.
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "School aid fund gets Senate approval,"
July 18, 2008
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS06/ 807180390
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Senate approves funding increases
for schools," March 27, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9162
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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