Contents of this issue:
- More Michigan high schools fail to meet AYP
- Some 'Michigan Promise' scholarships delayed
- State senator wants to increase standards for third-graders
- Mediator enters contract negotiations in Belding
- Hazel Park recall effort ends
- iPod winners named
MORE MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOLS FAIL TO MEET AYP
LANSING, Mich. — An increasing number of Michigan high schools
failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress, due primarily to scores
on the Michigan Merit Exam, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Some 489 high schools did not make AYP, compared to 399 last
year, the Free Press reported. Since 2002, the number of schools
not meeting academic targets has increased by 70 percent. State
Superintendent Mike Flanagan said the results were expected
after recently making adjustments to the high school curriculum,
according to the Free Press.
"We changed our high school graduation requirements because we
knew we needed higher standards to prepare our kids for the
demands of college and the work world," Flanagan told the Free
Press. "These results just remind us how critical that change
was."
Statewide, 83 percent of juniors who took the MME met or
exceeded standards in social studies, with 51 percent passing
tests in English language arts. About 46 percent of students
tested successfully in math, while about 56 percent met or
exceeded standards in science, the Free Press reported.
SOURCE:
Detroit Free Press, "State finds more high schools aren't making
grade," Nov. 30, 2007
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/NEWS06/71130016
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "No Cop-Out Left Behind,"
March 23, 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/7010
SOME 'MICHIGAN PROMISE' SCHOLARSHIPS DELAYED
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Treasury
reported that many of the state's Michigan Promise payments to
schools were delayed after the state budget problems earlier
this fall, according to WOOD TV.
After legislators were unable to finalize a new budget to meet
their spending demands on time in late September, the state did
not send colleges any lists of students who were supposed to
receive the scholarship money. Many students then had to pay a
part of tuition bills they were expecting to have covered by the
state, WOOD TV reported.
A Treasury spokesman says updated lists and money should be sent
to colleges and universities soon, according to WOOD TV.
SOURCE:
WOOD TV, "For some, 'Michigan Promise' scholarships a promise
unkept," Nov. 29, 2007
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7424824
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Granholm signs 'Michigan Promise'
scholarships bill," Dec. 26, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8149
STATE SENATOR WANTS TO INCREASE STANDARDS FOR THIRD-GRADERS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Sen. Wayne Kuipers has proposed
legislation that would prevent students who cannot read at a
third-grade level from moving on to fourth grade, according to
The Grand Rapids Press.
The bill calls for students to be tested in second and third
grades in order to identify those who have fallen behind and
work to make sure they are ready to be promoted at the end of
third grade. Kuipers believes this sort of legislation is
necessary if the state wants to see results from its new high
school curriculum, The Press reported.
"We've done a lot of work at the high school level, and now we
need to start the discussion on what's being done in the
elementary schools," Kuipers said, according to The Press. "I
want to ask the question: How do we end the social promotion
game and get the kids on the right track?"
Critics of the bill argue this is just another way for the state
to micromanage schools. Wyoming Superintendent Jon Felske says
students learn at different speeds and holding back students who
are weak in only one area will cause more problems than
promoting them and having them continue to work on their reading
skills.
"I don't see why they need to micromanage every program that
gets money from the state," Felske told The News. "They need to
get their own house in order before they start throwing more
unattainable goals at us."
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Senator's bill would get tough with
third-graders," Nov. 28, 2007
https://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-39/1196261478295070.xml&coll=6
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Hope in State Graduation
Standards Misplaced," Jan. 3, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7498
MEDIATOR ENTERS CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS IN BELDING
BELDING, Mich. — A mediator will try to help settle contract
negotiations between the Belding teachers union and school
district after talks halted over disagreements regarding health
insurance, according to The Grand Rapids Press.
The board of education's latest proposal called for a two-year
contract that included 2 percent raises each year and complete
coverage under the Michigan Education Special Services
Association's Choices II plan, The Press reported. MESSA is a
third-party administrator affiliated with the Michigan Education
Association school employees union.
Teachers are reluctant to agree to an increase in co-pays for
prescription medication.
"Given the status of the district's finances, the majority of
union members feel this is unacceptable," Lynn Mason, a physical
education teacher and spokesperson for the Belding Education
Association union, told The Press. "While a $10 co-pay for
generic drugs is reasonable, people who can't take them would
have to pay $20 for a name brand equivalent, plus an additional
charge for the difference in ingredients."
Superintendent Chuck Barker said he is displeased with the
negotiations.
"I'm very disappointed it's come to this," Barker told The
Press. "Teachers were offered the same deal that was already
approved by administrative and support staff, including bus
drivers, custodians and paraprofessionals."
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Belding teachers, administrators face
mediation," Nov. 28, 2007
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/11/belding_teachers_administrator.html
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Selective Moral Outrage,"
Sept. 24, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/9003
HAZEL PARK RECALL ENDS
HAZEL PARK, Mich. — An effort to recall two members of the Hazel
Park Board of Education who supported continuing participation
in the schools of choice program and two school closings has
ended, according to the Royal Oak Daily Tribune.
Recall effort leader Ed Bullock claims to have gained sufficient
signatures to put the recall on the ballot, but didn't collect
them within the allotted 90 days, the Tribune reported. Bullock
initially targeted board members Melvin R. Rasmusson and Ricky
D. Nagy, but targeted board President Clint Adkins in a second
petition drive. Petition language was approved by the Oakland
County Election Commission for all three members in June. State
law says the petition language is good for 180 days, but only
those signatures collected within 90 days are valid. Bullock
blames the weather for his lack of success, according to the
Tribune.
"No where could we come up with the number (needed) for the 90
days," Bullock told the Tribune. "The weather is getting a lot
colder and we don't need to get people out in the inclement
weather."
SOURCE:
Royal Oak Daily Tribune, "Recall effort called off,"
Nov. 30, 2007
https://www.dailytribune.com/stories/113007/loc_n3001.shtml
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Privatization Report, "School Board Members Survive
Recall Attempt," July 26, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/7845
IPOD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
MIDLAND, Mich. — Winners in the most recent Michigan Education
Report prize drawing included Liane Nusse, a teacher in
Mancelona, Grace VanderVliet, a teacher in Okemos and Steve
Sutton, a parent whose children attend schools in Farmington.
Their names were selected in a random drawing among all people
who posted comments at
https://educationreport.org in
response to articles appearing in the Fall 2007 issue. Another
drawing, also for three iPod Shuffles, will take place in
February 2008 and is open to everyone who posts comments on
articles published in the Winter 2007 edition.
VanderVliet teaches several language arts classes in Okemos
Public Schools, where she has been employed for three years.
Sutton works in the information technology industry and has a
longtime interest in education policy. Nusse is a third-grade
teacher at Mancelona Elementary School in Antrim County.
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
(
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan
research and educational institute.
Font size:
