Contents of this issue:
- Jackson school board approves light discipline of administrator
- Livingston county schools to save money with contracted subs
- WMU president fired
- A dozen groups want to help DPS dropouts
- Michigan students about average on ACT
- Detroit teachers discuss illegal strike
JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES LIGHT DISCIPLINE OF ADMINISTRATOR
JACKSON, Mich. — The Jackson Public Schools board of education
approved light discipline of an administrator who allegedly
allowed a teacher's aide convicted of drug dealing to continue
working with students, according to The Jackson Citizen Patriot.
William Patterson, a middle school assistant principal, received
a "letter of concern" from the district, which is the least
serious form of discipline, The Citizen Patriot reported. The
school board issued a statement supporting that action.
The Citizen Patriot reported that Patterson knew Tonia M. Jones
had pleaded guilty to cocaine-related charges in 2003, but did
not report the matter to district officials. Jones served 60-day
sentences during the summer months while still employed by the
district, but was fired Feb. 1 after being sent to prison for
continued drug activity, according to The Citizen Patriot.
Patterson's union argued that he was not obligated to inform the
district of Jones's conviction because of "confidentiality
issues," The Citizen-Patriot reported.
SOURCE:
The Jackson Citizen Patriot, "Board stands by its man,"
Aug. 16, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-18/1155742536219310.xml?jacitpat?NEJ&coll=3
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Some convicted felons still working
in schools," July 5, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7807
Michigan Education Digest, "List of felons forwarded to schools,"
May 16, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7704
Michigan Education Digest, "Court seals data on school employees
with criminal backgrounds," Jan. 31, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7570
Michigan Education Digest, "School employee background check
turns up felons," Jan. 24, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7564
LIVINGSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS TO SAVE MONEY WITH CONTRACTED SUBS
BRIGHTON, Mich. — The five public school districts in Livingston
County expect to save tens of thousands of dollars now that a
competitive contract is in place for substitute teachers,
according to The Ann Arbor News.
The Livingston Educational Service Agency signed a contract with
Caledonia-based Professional Educational Services Group to handle
payroll and assignment duties for several hundred substitute
teachers, The News reported.
Brian Higgins, assistant superintendent for the Pinckney
district, said the move will help schools control costs. Pinckney
also has competitive contracts in place for its cafeteria and
busing services.
"I understand some teachers may not be happy with not being part
of the retirement system," Higgins told The News. "The retirement
system is very costly and is going up at skyrocketing rates. This
is an effort by the districts in the county to come up with ways
to reduce costs and work more efficiently with each other."
Individual districts will save 8 percent of what they had been
paying, according to The News. Brighton Superintendent Jim Craig
told the newspaper his district will save about $40,000 a year.
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Teacher subs go private in county;
Livingston officials say move will save districts money,"
Aug. 14, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1155566526112980.xml?aanews?NEA&coll=2
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Houghton Lake to privatize substitute
teachers," July 25, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7844
Michigan Education Digest, "Substitute teachers privatized in
Grand Rapids," May 9, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7701
Michigan Education Digest, "Privatized subs can save schools
money," April 11, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7677
Michigan Education Digest, "Fennville district to outsource
substitute teachers," March 23, 2004
https://www.educationreport.org/6465
WMU PRESIDENT FIRED
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Judith I. Bailey was fired as president of
Western Michigan University recently as trustees expressed
concerns over lower enrollment and higher costs, according to The
Grand Rapids Press.
Trustees called a special meeting Aug. 15, voting to fire Bailey
eight months after they extended her $269,000-a-year contract
through 2009, The Press reported.
"I see no reason that a university as great as Western Michigan
University should be having problems that are dissimilar to those
at other public universities in the state," Chairman James Holden
said after the meeting, according to The Press.
Enrollment at WMU under Bailey is down 15 percent, and the 2007
budget includes an $8.3 million deficit, The Press reported.
The board earlier had offered Bailey a $400,000 buy-out, which
she rejected. Bailey told The Press she believes she can lead the
university through this difficult time, and expects her contract
to be honored.
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Western Michigan University fires
president," Aug. 15, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-31/115567110530150.xml?grpress?NEG&coll=6
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Bringing the Market to the
Ivory Tower," Dec. 15, 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6914
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "State College Money Should
Follow Students, Not Lobbyists," May 15, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7703
PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET ANOTHER FUNDING INCREASE
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan's public schools will receive an
increase in state funding for the 2006-2007 school year,
according to The Detroit News.
The School Aid Fund will go up by $337 million when the state's
new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, pushing the amount of funding for
public schools to more than $13 billion, The News reported.
Minimum per-pupil funding will increase by $210, to $7,085, with
some districts receiving more than $11,000 per student, according
to The News.
Some $100 million in state funding will be spent on preschools,
while middle schools will receive extra money for math and
science instruction, The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "Public schools, colleges get raise in state
budget," Aug. 16, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060816/SCHOOLS/608160332/1026
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Foundation grant to increase again,"
July 11, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7810
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Funding: Lack of Money
or Lack of Money Management?" Aug. 30, 2001
https://www.mackinac.org/3683
A DOZEN GROUPS WANT TO HELP DPS DROPOUTS
DETROIT — A dozen businesses and groups want to run alternative
high schools to help dropouts in Detroit, according to The
Detroit News.
"There's a population of 15,000 kids that fall into that
category," Hildred Pepper, chief contracting officer for Detroit
Public Schools, told The News. "So definitely the need is out
there."
The alternative schools are for students ages 16 to 19. They
would operate as contract schools, meaning they have union
teachers, but more flexibility on how the building operates,
according to The News. The schools, which can focus on vocational
and career training, also receive up to 80 percent of the per-pupil funding that conventional schools receive.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "12 groups submit proposals for Detroit
alternative high schools," July 29, 2006
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060729/SCHOOLS/607290320
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Study: Detroit graduation rate worst
in nation," June 27, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7798
Michigan Education Digest, "DPS students leave rather than
relocate," June 6, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7766
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit Public Schools enrollment
drops again," Nov. 29, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7448
MOST MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES NOT COLLEGE READY
LANSING, Mich. — Only 25 percent of Michigan's class of 2006 are
considered "college ready" in English, math, reading and science,
based on ACT scores, according to Booth Newspapers.
That level of proficiency means a student has a 75 percent chance
of getting a grade C or better in a college course, Booth
reported. Overall, the class of 2006 scored an average of 21.5 on
the ACT, slightly higher than the national average of 21.1,
according to Booth. The ACT has a maximum score of 36.
SOURCE:
Booth Newspapers, "Michigan students just above average on ACT,"
Aug. 16, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1155685206182600.xml?news/statewide?NE&coll=1
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "ACT scheduled to take place of MEAP
in 2007," Sept. 27, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7364
Michigan Education Digest, "Group looks to replace MEAP with
ACT," Dec. 23, 2003
https://www.educationreport.org/6059
Michigan Education Report, "Which Educational Achievement Test is
Best for Michigan?" Early Fall 2002
https://www.educationreport.org/4622
DETROIT TEACHERS DISCUSS ILLEGAL STRIKE
DETROIT — Detroit Public Schools teachers say they plan to take
picket signs with them Sunday when they vote on whether or not to
strike, according to the Detroit Free Press. It is illegal under
Michigan law for teachers to strike.
Detroit teachers are scheduled to report Aug. 28, with classes
beginning Sept. 5. The Free Press reported that Detroit teachers
also took picket signs with them to a similar meeting in 1999,
which was a precursor to a strike that lasted six days.
DFT President Janna Garrison told the Free Press the union and
district are "far apart" in contract negotiations. The union
wants a 15.6 percent pay raise for teachers at the top of the pay
scale, while Superintendent William F. Coleman III said the
district needs to cut $88 million.
Coleman added that teacher salaries and benefits consume $832
million of the district's $1.4 billion budget, according to the
Free Press.
The district is confident the school year will start on time.
"We're confident that our teachers, who are among the best and
who have an unbridled passion for our children, will come to work
as expected," DPS spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo told the Free
Press.
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "Teachers ready picket signs," Aug. 21, 2006
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060821/NEWS01/608210330
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "DPS to cut jobs; unions reject
concessions," July 5, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7807
Michigan Education Digest, "Detroit teachers union wants more
money," June 27, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7798
Michigan Education Digest, "Study: Detroit graduation rate worst
in the nation," June 27, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7798
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of nearly 150,000 published by the Mackinac
Center for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.