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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
Volume IV, No. 19
May 14, 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/pubs/med/
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Contents of this issue:
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* State takeover of Inkster school district expected
* New federal guidelines likely to promote same-sex schools
* Nine Detroit Catholic schools to close
* Editorial calls for increase in charter cap
* Michigan students have many Internet learning opportunities, study says
* NOTICE: Free seminar for economics teachers
* NOTICE: Mock legislature summer program offered for teens
* NOTICE: Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence Seminars
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STATE TAKEOVER OF INKSTER SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPECTED
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LANSING, Mich. - Gov. John Engler is likely to agree if the state
superintendent of schools recommends a takeover of Inkster Public
Schools this week, the governor's office said.
Supt. Tom Watkins has given Inkster's school board until
Wednesday to resolve its differences with Edison Inc., the for-
profit school managers the board hired in 2000 to prevent a
threatened state takeover. If the two sides can't agree, the
issue will go to the governor, who by state law would make the
final decision.
Board President Areeda Whitner told the Detroit Free Press Friday
she doubted a resolution will be found before Watkins' deadline.
In 2000, the board hired Edison to pay off its deficit and manage
the district. In 2001, the board avoided a takeover threat by
promising to stop micromanaging the company. Yet observers and
board members say the interference has continued. Whitner said
there is a board faction that apparently doesn't want to solve
the problem.
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SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Without a deal, Inkster schools takeover
likely," May 13, 2002
https://www.freep.com/news/education/ink13_20020513.htm
Philadelphia Inquirer, "Edison's stock dive raises concerns,"
May 8, 2002
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/3220240.htm
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NEW FEDERAL GUIDELINES LIKELY TO PROMOTE SAME-SEX SCHOOLS
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - New guidelines on single-sex public schools
and classrooms, issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of
Education, could lead to an increase in the number of single-sex
schools across the nation.
Dr. Leonard Sax, a psychologist and physician who heads the
National Association for the Advancement of Single Sex Public
Education, told the Associated Press that only 10 such public
schools exist now, with two more expected to open this fall.
Congress' education bill, approved last year and signed by
President Bush in January, clarified federal law on single-sex
schooling, saying school districts could receive federal funding
for single-sex schools and classes if comparable coursework and
facilities are available to girls and boys.
Provisions approved by Congress would let school districts
compete for up to $450 million for single-sex programs-a far cry
from the days when school districts feared such programs would
actually strip them of federal funding, due to non-discrimination
laws.
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SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Same-sex schools at issue," May 9, 2002
https://www.freep.com/news/education/skuls9_20020509.htm
Detroit Free Press, "What some studies found," May 9, 2002
https://www.freep.com/news/education/sside9_20020509.htm
Detroit News, "Federal revisions likely to boost single-sex
schools," May 9, 2002
https://www.detroitnews.com/2002/schools/0205/09/a10-485281.htm
USA Today, "Door is opening for single-sex classes Title IX
regulations may be amended," May, 2002
https://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020509/4097161s.htm
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NINE DETROIT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TO CLOSE
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DETROIT, Mich. - This summer, the Archdiocese of Detroit will
close nine schools, and possibly two more, in the largest
incidence of Catholic school closings since 1971.
Catholic school enrollments have been declining nationwide by
small but steady numbers, 1 percent or 2 percent per year, Sister
Frances Nadolny, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese,
told the Detroit Free Press.
"We realize this is a competitive market, not just with the
Catholic schools but with charter schools," said Detroit Public
Schools spokeswoman Francine Burgess. "Parents have choices."
Catholics are a minority at many of the schools scheduled for
closing. For instance, only eight of 90 students at St. Matthew
School in Detroit are Catholic, as are 18 of 168 at Genesis
Catholic Elementary School in Detroit, the archdiocese said.
________
SOURCES:
Detroit Free Press, "Nine Catholic schools to shut," May 11, 2002
https://www.freep.com/news/education/skul11_20020511.htm
Detroit Free Press, "Hamtramack's Last Catholic High: Merger to
Make School History," May 9, 2002
https://www.freep.com/news/education/florian9_20020509.htm
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EDITORIAL CALLS FOR INCREASE IN CHARTER CAP
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DETROIT, Mich. - A recent Detroit News editorial calls for
legislators to reconsider a bill that would allow for more
charter schools in the state.
The News profiles a report from the Brookings Institution, a
liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., which shows that charter
schools are promoting fundamental change in education.
The report, "Charters, Vouchers, & Public Education," "should be
required reading for state lawmakers who on May 1 shot down a
bill to create more charter schools," according to The News.
The charter bill lost by one vote in the state House due to
"partisan disagreements." The News says charters, however, "...are
too important to let such squabbling impede choice in education."
Currently, Michigan has 187 charter schools, and most have
waiting lists.
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SOURCES:
Detroit News, "Charter choice improves education," May 14, 2002
https://www.detroitnews.com/2002/editorial/0205/14/a08-488629.htm
Brookings Institution, "Charters, Vouchers, & Public Education,"
February 2002
http://www.brook.edu/dybdocroot/savingsforthepoor/charters_vouchers_public.htm
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MICHIGAN STUDENTS HAVE MANY INTERNET LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES,
STUDY SAYS
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BETHESDA, Md. - Michigan has more Internet learning opportunities
than many states but ranks in the middle when it comes to the
number of students per computer in its public schools, a new
report says.
The report, released Thursday by Education Week, compares school
technology initiatives in all 50 states.
Michigan is far ahead in some areas. It's one of 12 states with a
virtual high school, which allows students to take courses
online. It's also one of only seven states that require
competency in technology for new teachers.
But Michigan is average in other areas. The report found that 91
percent of Michigan's schools have Internet access, slightly
lower than the U.S. average of 92 percent. The report also found
that Michigan has 6.5 students per Internet-connected computer,
slightly better than the national average of 6.8 students.
Michigan's school aid budget for the upcoming fiscal year
includes $3.5 million for a pilot project that would give laptop
computers to four school districts in the Lower Peninsula and to
all schools in the Upper Peninsula.
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SOURCES:
Detroit News, "State students lag in computers," May 9, 2002
https://www.detroitnews.com/2002/schools/0205/09/d15-484893.htm
Education Week, "Technology Counts 2002," May, 2002
http://www.educationweek.org/tc02/
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NOTICE: FREE SEMINAR FOR ECONOMICS TEACHERS
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The Foundation for Teaching Economics is sponsoring a free summer
seminar entitled "Economics for Leaders," July 15-21, on the
campus of Hillsdale College. The seminar is open to any teacher
of economics and is especially suited for teachers of social
studies, civics and history.
Free room and board is provided on the campus of Hillsdale
College. All participants receive a $100.00 stipend upon
completion of the program. Program graduates are eligible to
submit a portfolio on teaching economics to the Foundation, the
best of which will receive a prize of $5,000.00. Two semester
credit hours will be awarded by the University of California at
Davis for a fee of $85.00.
Three Michigan State Board Continuing Education Units (SB-CEUs)of
academic credit are available free of charge to Michigan public
school teachers who take the seminar.
For more information and to register, visit the Foundation's web
site at www.fte.org, or call (800) 383-4335.
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NOTICE: MOCK LEGISLATURE SUMMER PROGRAM OFFERED FOR TEENS
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The 2002 Student Statesmanship Institute (SSI) is a dynamic,
faith-based summer program for high school teens. The SSI
curriculum includes Biblical worldview teaching, testimonies from
outstanding Christian leaders, and a true-to-life mock
legislature where students apply what they learn to current
issues while role-playing as members of the Legislature at the
Capitol building in Lansing.
Students interested in the program can attend during the weeks of
June 23-28, or July 7-12.
For more information or to register students for SSI's Summer
Program, contact the Student Statesmanship Institute toll free at
(877) 464-6388, by email at
ssi@ssi-online.org, or visit the
website at www.ssi-online.org.
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NOTICE: HOOGLAND CENTER FOR TEACHER EXCELLENCE SEMINARS
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Hillsdale College's Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence is
sponsoring two summer seminars, to be held on campus. They are:
June 28-29: A More Perfect Union: Teaching the United States
Constitution
August 2-3: Natural Rights and Justice: Teaching the Civil Rights
Movement
The seminars are open to public, private and home-school middle
and high school teachers of civics, social studies and history.
The registration fee is only $25.00. This includes accommodations
at the on-campus hotel, all meals, and seminar and curriculum
materials.
Participants at the seminar will explore the U.S. Constitution
and the civil rights movement in lectures and small group
discussions led by Hillsdale College faculty and special guest
lecturers. Hillsdale College academic credit or one Michigan
State Board-Continuing Education Unit (SB-CEU) of academic credit
can be earned by taking the seminar.
For more information and to register, visit
www.hillsdale.edu/cte, or call (866)
824-6831.
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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of 130,000 published by the Mackinac Center
for Public Policy (https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. Through our research and education programs, we challenge government overreach and advocate for a free-market approach to public policy that frees people to realize their potential and dreams.
Please consider contributing to our work to advance a freer and more prosperous state.
