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| Race to the Top Fund; Detroit News- November 12, 2009 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 12 2009, 12:54 PM (4,839 Views) | |
| IlikeLIvonia | Dec 1 2009, 02:56 PM Post #21 |
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The Race for 'The Race for the Top' Laura Weber (2009-12-01) (photo by Steve Carmody, Michigan Radio) LANSING, MI (MPRN) - http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1583620/Michigan.News/The.Race.for.'The.Race.for.the.Top' State lawmakers return to Lansing this week and face a heated debate over education reform. Many details need to be ironed out in a handful of bills that would give Michigan a shot at being one of five states selected to receive schools-reform money from the federal government. But lawmakers are running out of time to make Michigan eligible for a slice of $3.5 billion. University Prep middle school in Grand Rapids is designed to prepare kids for a university experience. Part of that process is choosing a field of interest. Sabrina is in the eighth grade. She chose to study Kelly Clarkson. "I'm doing from when she won American Idol to how many CD copies she's actually sold from each album, and I have to make a graph because that's what we're learning is graphs in Math," she says. Studying celebrities may seem untraditional, but University Prep principal Daniel Williams says that's the point - to break the status quo and engage kids who might otherwise be bored. "All those things are interests and if we can build learning and frame learning around that, then kids are going to achieve at higher levels," says Williams. Starting next year, all Grand Rapids high school students will have three school options to choose from - a traditional high school, a charter school and a career or college focused school like University Prep. It's part of the experimental, district-wide reforms approved by the state Department of Education in an initiative called 'Project Re-Imagine.' Grand Rapids schools Superintendent Dr. Bernard Taylor says he hopes the reforms will be successful enough to eventually be adopted by other districts throughout Michigan. "Because really it's pushing our thinking about how we better serve students," says Taylor. Taylor says every district has to make changes in light of recent, deep budget cuts. "I have to come up with something different," says Taylor, "But I'd rather come up with something different that is not a knee-jerk reaction our fiscal reality, but is a reaction to how we could better serve our students and our families." "These Re-Imagine districts cannot make this happen without the money that we can get from Race To The Top," says state school Superintendent Michael Flanagan. He's been working with lawmakers in Lansing on legislation that would allow the state to compete for half a billion dollars in the federal government's 'Race To The Top' program. State Senator Wayne Kuipers chairs the Senate Education Committee. "There are certain pieces to this that I've wanted for a long time," says Kuipers. Kuipers wants to allow for more charter schools, to threaten the state's worst-performing public schools with takeover. It's one of the more controversial parts of the legislation, along with a bill that would evaluate teachers' performances based on their students' performances. "We have to confront the reality that there are some teachers who are better than others and those really good and well-performing teachers should be compensated accordingly," says Kuipers. The application deadline for 'Race To The Top' is January 19th. But lawmakers will have to approve the legislation before they break for the winter holiday in mid-December to be eligible to compete. Flanagan thinks Michigan will be overlooked by the Obama Administration if the Legislature can't pass the reforms by then. He says though the reforms are tough, they are necessary. And he says state lawmakers will have to stop bickering if they want to be eligible for the money. "I'm willing to compromise, on some of the nuances of this in order that you pass some legislation quickly or here's what I'm going to do," says Flanagan, "I'm going to pull my guys off the application. I am not going to have them work 24/7 - and that's exactly what they're doing - and pulling them off everything else to make this work if I see that we can't actually pull of the legislation, or if there's so many bombs thrown in the way that we have no chance of winning, then I'm going to pull them off. But we can win this." Flanagan and representatives from education groups in Washington say the reforms the feds are looking for will most likely become nation-wide standards. And Dr. Bernard Taylor in Grand Rapids says Michigan should make it a priority to lead the way. "It's a tough political landscape, but it's clear what the anticipated outcome is from the Department of Education and as a state we'll be able to comply with those things or we won't. And if we can't then we're also saying we want to forfeit the right to have those funds come to Michigan - which would be unfortunate, I would think," says Taylor. © Copyright 2009, MPRN |
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| Administrator | Dec 2 2009, 12:07 PM Post #22 |
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Editorial: Michigan lawmakers must adopt reforms to liberate schools The Detroit News Michigan faces a simple choice this month. Will its schools be run for the benefit of education unions and administrators or for its students? The decision is being made in Lansing. Michigan's application for President Barack Obama's Race to the Top competition for education grants is due, and the state is one of just two in the nation that is unprepared to apply. What's at risk: at least $500 million for public schools desperate for cash. Brutal budget cuts are projected for almost every district in the state -- and this competitive federal stimulus money would help buffer the impact on education. Advertisement The Race to the Top competition was designed to spur states to undertake overdue education reforms that will make the U.S. an economic and education leader once again. The basic requirements are that states hold educators accountable for the performance of students and provide alternatives to failing schools and teachers. Michigan's student achievement is stagnant, and is being surpassed by other states that have more aggressively embraced reform. The push to beef up education attainment has been stalled, in large part, by the state's strongest teacher union, the Michigan Education Association (MEA), which has cowed timid lawmakers. While New York, California and other states have passed reforms required by the Race to the Top program, only Michigan and Wisconsin have allowed education lobbyists to delay worthy House and Senate bills. The union is joined in the sabotage by the superintendents' association. Both organizations fear the same thing: Accountability. They have been particularly effective in the House, where Rep. Tim Melton, D-Pontiac, needs more Democratic votes to move the legislation forward. Time is almost up. State school Superintendent Mike Flanagan says he needs the legislation passed by Christmas to properly apply by early January. This morning, House leaders plan to bring some bills to a vote, including one that would allow for alternative teacher certification for high-qualified educators willing to teach in hard-to-staff, high-poverty urban schools. Democrats should be sequestered away from lobbyists for as long as it takes to vote on these bills. Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who supports the legislation, must lean on the MEA to get out of the way. If Michigan is going to liberate itself from its past and improve its schools, it needs to take this basic step toward a more efficient, accountable school system. http://www.detnews.com/article/20091202/OPINION01/912020316/1007/rss07 |
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| Administrator | Dec 2 2009, 12:09 PM Post #23 |
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Michigan Senate panel OKs education law changes aimed at federal dollars By The Associated Press December 01, 2009, 11:03AM LANSING — A state Senate committee has approved legislation aimed at giving Michigan a shot to compete for federal schools money. The bills approved Tuesday by the Senate Education Committee would allow more charter schools, provide a framework to deal with failing schools and expand alternative paths for teacher certification. Many of the ideas have been discussed in Michigan for years. But they are advancing now because passage would strengthen Michigan's bid for up to $400 million in Recovery Act cash offered through the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition. Some Democrats opposed parts of the package OK'd by the Republican-led Senate committee. The full Senate could tackle the bills later this week. http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/12/michigan_senate_panel_oks_educ.html |
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| Administrator | Dec 2 2009, 12:10 PM Post #24 |
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Michigan Senate panel passes bills to win fed schools cash Karen Bouffard / Detroit News Lansing Bureau Lansing -- The Senate Education Committee this morning passed a five-bill package of education reforms aimed at helping Michigan capture roughly $400 million in federal money for K-12 schools. The bills would allow fast-track teacher certification and the creation of "schools of excellence" to replace failing schools, and give State School Superintendent Michael Flanagan the power to usurp control over failing schools. The bills now go to the full chamber for a vote, and would have to pass in the House and be signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to become law. The bills passed along party lines and over objections from a Macomb County Intermediate Schools official, who said they do not provide clear criteria for determining what schools would be considered failing and subject to takeover. Robert LeFevre, director of legal and legislative affairs for the Macomb Intermediate School District, also objected to the quick certification of teachers. Advertisement The committee deleted language in one of the bills that would have compensated districts with failing schools for the loss of students to the new schools of excellence. The Senate bills mirror reforms approved by the House last summer, according to Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, chairman of the House Education Committee. Melton's committee will meet today, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as next week, to consider other measures it believes will improve Michigan's chances of winning federal money under the Race to the Top program. Measures under consideration by the House committee would raise the high school dropout age to 18, and make kindergarten mandatory for 5-year-olds. Children are not required to attend kindergarten in Michigan. Lawmakers are determined to push through K-12 education reforms in time to meet a Jan. 19 deadline to qualify for more than $400 million in federal school funding. The Legislature typically breaks the third week of December and doesn't return until late January -- meaning lawmakers have only weeks to enact reforms, including fast-track teacher certification, additional charter schools and linking teachers' evaluations with students' test scores. The Race to the Top fund is a national competition among states for $4.35 billion in stimulus act money to improve education through teacher and classroom reforms. http://www.detnews.com/article/20091201/SCHOOLS/912010399/1026/rss06 |
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| IlikeLIvonia | Dec 5 2009, 10:38 AM Post #25 |
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Change is coming with or without the $$$$. |
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| Administrator | Dec 12 2009, 10:55 PM Post #26 |
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Michigan lawmakers continue pursuit of federal schools cash By The Associated Press December 10, 2009, 11:56PM The Associated PressThe vacant Sherrard School is seen in Detroit on Monday, Dec. 7, 2009.LANSING, Mich. — Next week could be crucial in determining how far Michigan lawmakers will go in hopes of winning up to $400 million in extra federal stimulus money for the state's cash-strapped public schools. The Democratic-led House approved broad education reform legislation related to the effort Thursday, including bills that would allow expansion of charter schools and create alternatives in the certification of teachers. Bills with similar themes have been approved by the Republican-led Senate. But key differences remain — especially related to allowing new charter schools — that must be resolved soon if they are to be included in the state's formal application for Race to the Top money offered in a competition from the Obama administration. Legislative leaders from both parties already have made some compromises in hopes of helping Michigan's efforts to win the extra cash. But there will be more hurdles to overcome as much of the legislation goes to bipartisan conference committees made up of House and Senate members next week. "The difference will be on how we deal with the charter piece," said Rep. Tim Melton, an Auburn Hills Democrat and a key House negotiator on the legislative package. "But I think we're going to find middle ground. The intent is clear — let the best performing operators expand." The Race to the Top program is funded by more than $4 billion from the federal stimulus package. The Obama administration will grant the money to states that most aggressively implement ideas such as expanding charter schools or judging teachers based on test scores. Applications are due from states in January. Fewer than half the states are expected to win the cash. Michigan would get between $200 million and $400 million if selected as one of the winners. Legislation approved by the House on Thursday would allow the state to authorize a new type of charter school. The so-called schools of excellence would require operators to have met certain academic standards with existing schools before they could open new ones. The new charter schools would be confined to lower-income areas, and poor-performing charter schools could be closed. Senate legislation also relies on charter school operators with good track records but does not place limits on where they could be opened. "We need to make sure that we have competition across districts, and that means getting rid of the barriers to charter expansion," said Sen. Wayne Kuipers, a Holland Republican and a key crafter of the Senate package. "I would say defining where they can go is a barrier." The Senate also will push for measures that would make it easier to dismiss or discipline ineffective teachers, including those with tenure. The state schools chief would have more power to take over and put turnaround specialists into the state's worst-performing schools, although the House and Senate versions differ on how that would be done. Teachers would be evaluated based in part on how well their students do on standardized tests. An alternative certification program would be created to get people with special skills into classrooms more quickly without as much of the formal training now required for teachers. The teachers could obtain an interim certificate and enter the classroom while working toward a permanent certificate. Some education groups, including teachers' unions, have said alternative certification is unnecessary because the state doesn't have a teacher shortage. http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/12/michigan_lawmakers_continue_pu.html |
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| Ms. AK | Dec 13 2009, 11:35 AM Post #27 |
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"Some education groups, including teachers' unions, have said alternative certification is unnecessary because the state doesn't have a teacher shortage." Faulty reasoning teachers' union: The alternative certification provides a chance at more competition perhaps creating "better" not "more" teachers. Plus, there is a shortage of science/math teachers. |
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| Administrator | Dec 17 2009, 02:57 PM Post #28 |
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Lawmakers form education PAC Karen Bouffard / Detroit News Lansing Bureau Lansing -- House and Senate Democrats chided their Democratic colleagues today to get on board with sweeping education reforms needed to win up to $400 million in federal Race to the Top funds. The comments by state Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, and Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, came as the lawmakers announced formation of a political action committee, Michigan Democrats for Education Reform. The committee was announced as lawmakers work to hammer out details of a reform package that must be passed before they break for the holidays at the end of Thursday's legislative session if Michigan is to meet a Jan. 19 deadline to apply for the money. Bills passed in the House, which is dominated by Democrats, and in the Republican-led Senate, would link teacher pay to test scores, open more charter schools, and include other reform measures opposed by teachers' unions and many pro-union Democrats. "What's been terrible for me the last few years is watching the communities that are most affected by this, that are Democratic districts, and Democrats seem to be the ones that don't want to stand up and say enough is enough," said Melton, chair of the House Education Committee. "Well, enough is enough. "Let's get the best operators in the country in the areas with the highest need. Let's close down the bad operators. Lets give parents the choice. ... We know now that the new civil rights movement of our generation is quality education." While the House and Senate have passed similar packages of education reform bills, the chambers have many differences that are being ironed out. Melton said the parties are talking nearly "around the clock," and he expects compromise bills to pass out of conference committee by Thursday morning. The Michigan group is among a growing number of state chapters of the national Democrats for Education Reform. Detroit-area education reformer Harrison Blackmond is Michigan director. kbouffard@detnews.com (517) 371-3660 http://www.detnews.com/article/20091216/SCHOOLS/912160422/1026/rss06 |
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| Micki | Dec 17 2009, 07:13 PM Post #29 |
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Race to the top monies has many strings attached. Additionally, $600 million is not a lot of money when you are dividing it among all of the public schools in Michigan. It would not cover 3 administrator's salaries or 6 teachers yet the obligations to fulfill would be binding. One of the things that would change is that anyone with a bachelor's can be a teacher. They will of course have a lower pay and no union representation, however, they also do not have to take any courses to stay certified or to improve their teaching practice. Also, every district in Michigan has to agree to all of the terms in order for the state to get one cent. |
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| Al Beabak | Dec 17 2009, 09:38 PM Post #30 |
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It is time for fundamental steps to be taken, no matter how much they are objected to by the status quo |
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| Micki | Dec 17 2009, 11:09 PM Post #31 |
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I love teaching.
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Change for the sake of change is ridiculous. Nobody wants to see the districts in the bind they are in but this deal is sour. It is like your dad telling you that you can have ten bucks for cleaning the kitchen which seems like a lot to a kid but then they find out that the deal is forever. Doesn't look so good at that point. |
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| Deleted User | Dec 18 2009, 06:58 AM Post #32 |
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Don't be afraid, it's all for the better. It's only sour to those who drink the kool-aid |
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| Ratherbewatching24 | Dec 18 2009, 08:39 AM Post #33 |
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Hmmmm. so let me get this right. The federal government takes our money (stimulus) to pay for the 600 million fund. The Governor takes our money for schools which our students won't see (20j) the MEA takes money from the teachers. And where does all the money go......... ????? It's a shell game. Let's do away with public schools, send the parents the $8,000 per child to use at whatever private school they want. |
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| Whatever | Dec 18 2009, 11:14 AM Post #34 |
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Wow, Micki! You're a teacher, right? Don't cry to parents that the schools are underfunded! |
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| Whatever | Dec 18 2009, 11:15 AM Post #35 |
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It's not change for the sake of change. Public schools are failing children. |
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| Whatever | Dec 18 2009, 11:20 AM Post #36 |
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No, Micki. It's more like this: The state gives LPS $9,000 to educate my child. I can spend $3,000 at a private school and get a much better education. One that includes real math, handwriting, phonics, grammar and punctuation. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. |
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| Ms. AK | Dec 18 2009, 12:45 PM Post #37 |
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AK: Michigan is one of two states that did not make the deadline to apply (which is not a requirement, but a bad sign). http://www.detnews.com/article/20091217/POLITICS02/912170439/1022/State-misses-optional-deadline-for-$400M-in-fed-school-funding Last Updated: December 17. 2009 11:52AM State misses optional deadline for $400M in fed school funding Karen Bouffard / Detroit News Lansing Bureau Lansing -- The Michigan Department of Education failed to file a letter of intent with the federal government last week to apply for up to $400 million or more in Race to the Top school funding. Filing the letter was optional and will not jeopardize Michigan's chances of winning the funds, department spokeswoman Jan Ellis said. But missing last week's deadline is viewed by Senate Republicans as a major misstep in a critical nationwide competition for Race to the Top cash. Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, chair of the Senate Education Committee, said he learned about the missed deadline Wednesday, and disgust over that news contributed to Senate Republicans' decision to walk out on talks over Race to the Top Legislation later Wednesday evening. Advertisement "I just don't think this administration or the House is serious enough about Race to the Top to win this," Kuipers said this morning. "Michigan didn't even file the preliminary application for Race to the Top dollars, and we're one of only two states that didn't." Ellis confirmed the department missed last week's deadline to file the form, which was not a requirement. She said the purpose of the form was help the U.S. Department of Education prepare for an onslaught of state applications expected by the Jan. 19 deadline for the first wave of funding. "This was not an application -- it was a letter of intent that was optional, and that we tried to file at least three times, and their system was down," Ellis said, referring to the U.S. Department of Education's computer system. "It was to help US-Ed plan, but there was no requirement and they know we are going to apply." Senate Republicans walked out on negotiations on education reform legislation late Wednesday, bringing a halt -- for the moment -- to talks about what would be historic education reforms linking teacher pay to student test scores, opening more charter schools and other measure the Obama administration has outlined as requirement for Race to the Top cash. Conference committee meetings slated for 9 a.m. this morning were swiftly recessed since there were no deals for members to debate. Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, said this morning that Republicans, led by Kuipers, walked out after House Democrats wouldn't budge on the Senate's plan to open 100 or more additional charter schools in the state. "The Senate just wants to get a wish list to do as many charters as they want, and that's not what Race to the Top is all about," Melton said. Kuipers said talks failed over a number of issues, not just charter schools. "We have a number of outstanding issues, and we weren't making progress on any of them," Kuipers said. "I just said, 'We've been talking for six hours. We're not making progress. When you're willing to get serious, let us know.' " kbouffard@detnews.com (517) 371-3660 © Copyright 2009 The Detroit News. All rights reserved. Terms of Service Contact Help AK: Please hit on my signature in green below. |
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| Administrator | Dec 18 2009, 11:42 PM Post #38 |
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Grand Rapids area educators torn about last-minute grab at federal Race to the Top fundingBy Kym Reinstadler | The Grand Rapids Press December 18, 2009, 8:27AM GRAND RAPIDS -- As the state Legislature worked Thursday considering education reforms to make the state's request for a slice of the $4.35 billion Race to the Top pie more savory, some school officials wonder whether competing for the federal funds is worth the effort. "In tough economic times, you don't want to leave money on the table that could help students," said Ryan Kelley, Rockford's assistant superintendent for instruction. "But there are still so many details that Lansing hasn't filled in that we can't know yet what we're being asked to support." He was among about 160 school administrators and board members and teachers' union representatives taking part in a discussion on Race to the Top funding at the Kent Intermediate School District. While reforms that Lansing the is mulling look good, Godfrey Lee Superintendent Dave Britten believes few school officials will support them until important criteria are defined. Michigan's Race to the Top application is coming down to the wire. That is primarily because the federal government did not finalize requirements for the program until Nov. 18. The looming deadlines are: • Jan. 7, when districts requesting funds must file framework agreements signed by their superintendent, school board president and teachers' union president • Jan. 11, when applications are due to the Michigan Department of Education. • Jan. 19, when Michigan's application is due with the U.S. Department of Education. In April, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will select 10 states with keen reform plans to split the funding. Michigan's share is expected to be about $400 million, with half to be divided among districts that endorsed the reforms and get Title One funding, supplemental payments to schools where at least 40 percent of students' families are at or below federal poverty guidelines. The other half -- minus the Michigan Department of Education's administrative fee -- would be divided among 14 demonstration districts, including Grand Rapids Public Schools. The Wyoming school board Monday decided to support applying for the money, said Tom Reeder, the district's assistant superintendent for instruction. "But we wish we were at the point we were at back in August," he said. "It's a touchy situation asking people to sign things before anybody has the nitty, gritty details." He figures Wyoming could possibly land $500,000 through the initiative. By comparison, Grand Rapids figures it could possibly get $25 million to $30 million. The $4.35 billion in available funding would be tied to implementing reforms in key areas and could not be spent to plug other budget holes. Hot buttons in the state's reform package, local educators said, include defining student growth, which is to be a measure of teacher and principal evaluations; and defining a struggling school, a designation which would trigger interventions and staff changes and interventions. The proposed reforms currently include differentiated compensation or merit pay; opportunities for successful charter schools to expand; and alternate routes to teacher certification for science and technology instructors. All those are typically opposed by teachers' unions. Many are miffed accepting Race to the Top funds would require Michigan to adopt a national curriculum. The state aligned public schools' curricula to be consistent over the past decade. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/12/grand_rapids_area_educators_to.html |
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| Micki | Dec 19 2009, 10:37 AM Post #39 |
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Whatever, This is not going to fix the school funding problem. I am all for vouchers. 2 of my kids go to a private school. As for crying about funding... is that what you think this is? I do not want to sell my soul to pay for 3 administrator's salaries. Would you? Try to look at it objectively. Our tax monies were taken from this district! My contribution to the 20j funding is gone! WTF! Why is that O.K? I feel that citizens should come together and have a class lawsuit against the government. This is ridiculous. As for merit pay, etc... How do you think that is going to work? Have you SEEN the plan? Do you know that special education students are lumped into the same group for merit pay? Is that fair? If I am teaching a fifth grader who performs at a first grade level and he/she makes a years growth in a years time, I do not get compensated for that. I have to bring him up to a fifth grade level, yet he is cognitively impaired. I am not against merit pay but I do think it should be fair. Teachers like myself who are very good at what they do and especially good at differentiating instruction get placed with all the kids with special needs (whom I love) and the other teachers that do not embrace special ed teachers in their classes or differentiate as well don't get those students and their test scores are higher. They are the teachers that would get the merit pay, not me. How do you think teachers are going to view students with special needs in their classrooms if their performance is tied to their salary/livelihood? This is a fair question. Because, it will become an issue. As for tenure, I don't have a problem with that one unless I have a principal with a vendetta. And, all professions face that to some extent. There are teachers that need to go, but there are also good teachers that need to stay... What will happen in Michigan? What will the school systems look like? Will you want your kids in them without the resources you have come to expect and demand? I know I demand what my kids need and deserve. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Nobody is going to win with this one. I truly believe that we should be contributing to education and more than what our tax dollars used to provide. School is not free. Good teachers are not free. Pay through taxes or pay later. In fact, I would be happy to have 20 students in my home that I could teach at $5.00 an hour per child. It would double my salary. $4,500 per child seems fair to me. Does it to you? |
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| LPS Reformer | Dec 19 2009, 11:51 AM Post #40 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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The MEA will fight tooth and nail to stop anything that decreases their influence. However, I do have to agree with one thing. No amount of funding will fix this problem, as they simply spend it as fast as it comes in. The more they get, the more they "need". We do not have a school funding problem in Michigan. We have a school spending problem. |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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