Contents of this issue:
- Legislature votes to allow more charter schools in Detroit
- Muskegon charter recognized for student achievement
- Quincy teachers won't bargain to save jobs
- Public school competing for charter students
- Finding Algebra in Fashion Design
LEGISLATURE VOTES TO ALLOW MORE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN DETROIT
DETROIT — The state House of Representatives voted to pass a
Senate bill that will let Detroit Public Schools keep its
"first-class" status, while at the same time allow more charter
public schools in the district, according to The Michigan
Citizen.
Representatives from Detroit pushed the Legislature to redefine
a "first-class" district as one with more than 60,000 students,
as opposed to the previous definition of at least 100,000
students. DPS projects enrollment of about 94,000 for the coming
school year, The Citizen reported.
"The white Democratic Party power structure supported the bill,"
said Steve Conn, a teacher who organized a rally against the
bill, according to The Citizen. "But we plan to continue the
fight to overturn its provisions, and expect the Detroit
Federation of Teachers to organize a larger rally in the fall to
stop the charter school invasion."
SOURCE:
The Michigan Citizen, "Bi-partisan charter school advocates
prevail in Lansing," July 28, 2008
http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sdetail=6323&sc=1070& hn=michigancitizen&he=.com
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "First class or 21st century: Don't
pass up chance to reform Detroit Public Schools," July 14, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9659
MUSKEGON CHARTER RECOGNIZED FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
MUSKEGON, Mich. — WayPoint Academy in Muskegon received
recognition for continuous academic improvement and decreasing
the achievement gap between student groups, according to The
Muskegon Chronicle.
The school was selected for the Title I Distinguished Schools
Program by the Michigan Department of Education and will receive
an award at a national conference in Nashville, Tenn. One other
Michigan school, Campau Park in Grand Rapids, received the
honor, The Chronicle reported.
Students at WayPoint Academy increased math proficiency by 25
percent and English Language Arts proficiency by 19 percent from
2005-2006 to 2006-2007. The school opened in 2001 and is
chartered by Grand Valley State University, according to The
Chronicle.
SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Charter school recognized for
achievement," Aug. 4, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/08/charter_school_recognized_for.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Are charter schools improving
student performance? Yes," Nov. 17, 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4857
QUINCY TEACHERS WON'T BARGAIN TO SAVE JOBS
QUINCY, Mich. — The Quincy teachers union voted 60-21 against
contract concessions that could have saved the jobs of fellow
school employees, according to the Hillsdale Daily News.
Quincy Public Schools must cut about $536,000 from its 2008-2009
budget and had asked the teachers union to reopen its contract.
The district's curriculum director, seven teachers and four
paraprofessionals will be cut to help the district reduce its
overspending crisis, the Daily News reported.
SOURCE:
Hillsdale Daily News, "Quincy teachers won't trade freeze for
spared jobs," July 29, 2008
http://www.hillsdale.net/news/x2043518677/Quincy-teachers-won-t-trade-freeze-for-spared-jobs
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Contract Out School Services
Before Laying Off Teachers," Nov. 20, 2003
https://www.mackinac.org/5948
PUBLIC SCHOOL COMPETING FOR CHARTER STUDENTS
MUSKEGON, Mich. — Muskegon Public Schools is hoping to enroll
most of the students living in its district who formerly
attended a now-closed charter public school, according to The
Muskegon Chronicle.
The district sent letters to about 65 families whose children
are assigned to the district but had instead chosen Tri-Valley
Academy. About 190 students attended the charter public school
last year, but it closed after Grand Valley State University
refused to reauthorize it, due mainly to low test scores, The
Chronicle reported.
Three Oaks Public School Academy, run by the same management
company that oversaw Tri-Valley, expect about 100 former Tri-Valley students to enroll at Three Oaks, according to The
Chronicle.
SOURCE:
The Muskegon Chronicle, "Muskegon schools trying to attract
former Tri-Valley Academy students," Aug. 4, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/08/muskegon_schools_trying_to_att.html
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Charter school closing seen as
success for charter movement," April 2, 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4180
FINDING ALGEBRA IN FASHION DESIGN
LIVONIA, Mich. — Looking for a way to take care of that pesky
algebra II requirement and still get a head start on a career?
Dr. Janet Haas thought so.
That's why, as of this fall, the Livonia Career Technical Center
will pilot a program that weaves advanced math into subjects
like building trades, medicine and marketing, enabling students
to study both subjects concurrently. Beginning the following
year, students who successfully complete such a class will be
eligible to receive half a credit in algebra II.
Haas sees it as a win-win: Students earn math credit in a
setting that interests them, and the center protects its
enrollment.
"That's the only way you're going to survive the high school
requirements," Haas, the school principal, said in an interview
in her office.
By survive, Haas means finding a way for students to continue
taking career education courses and still meet the state's new
graduation mandates. One way is to mesh the two: offering
English through fashion design, math through automotive
engineering and biology through cosmetology.
SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "Finding algebra in fashion design,"
Aug. 5, 2008
https://www.educationreport.org/9706
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Program links education, industry to
answer workforce needs," Aug. 15, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8825
Michigan Education Report, "Michigan's economic future: Is a
four-year degree the only answer?" May 24, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8505
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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