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| Governor Snyders Education Plan; April 2011 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 25 2011, 08:24 PM (1,023 Views) | |
| Administrator | Apr 25 2011, 08:24 PM Post #1 |
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Snyder to outline educational goals Wednesday: 'Not an easy change' Paul Egan / Detroit News Lansing Bureau East Lansing— Gov. Rick Snyder gave a preview today of a special message on education he will deliver in Detroit on Wednesday, saying he will spell out changes that "will not be easy" in order to improve the performance of Michigan's schools. Snyder spoke at the 16th annual Governor's Education Summit at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. He led off with statistics that highlight the poor performance of Michigan's schools relative to those in other states and said he wants changes that focus on proficiency, growth, measurement and results. He also said he wants more transparency and accountability. Snyder is to deliver his special message on education at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the offices of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Snyder said his focus is a holistic approach to education from pre-natal to life-long learning. He said early childhood education is important and should involve "a public and private partnership." He said only 16 percent of high school graduates are college-ready, based on ACT scores, and the state ranks 39th in math performance and 33rd in eighth grade reading proficiency. "We need to do better," and "this … will not be an easy change," Snyder said in a room largely filled with educators and school administrators. "Think about all the great talent, all the great resources in our system, and yet we're not achieving the results we have to achieve." Snyder said he wants to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship by giving schools certain benchmarks and allowing more autonomy in how best to reach those goals. He wants a system in which students receive one year of growth each year, he said. The governor, who established "dashboards" to measure the performance of each state department in various areas, said he wants similar dashboards created for each school district and each school. "The best part about measurement is not to have measurement as a way to penalize people but to have measurement as a way to recognize success," he said. The governor said the way many things in education are done today is rooted in Michigan's past, not its future. For example, he said the reason students get the summer off is related to the state's agrarian past and the need to have them home for an extended period to work on the farm. The Detroit News reported Thursday teacher tenure, increased flexibility in class hours, better use of online educational tools and charter schools will be among the topics Snyder will address Wednesday. Before Snyder spoke today, Mike Flanagan, Michigan's schools superintendent, told the same group that if it were up to him he would remove virtually all school regulations. "We need to take away the barriers … to teaching and learning," Flanagan said. "It's just the system that's broken; it's not the people in the system," he said. "It doesn't serve the needs of this kind of new age and new technology that we're faced with." Also today, Snyder told reporters he didn't think universities should have to report to the Legislature on their embryonic stem cell research, despite language approved by the House and the Senate that would require it, spokeswoman Geralyn Lasher confirmed. Snyder said he thought such a requirement would violate the intent of the voters in approving the research, she said. The theme of today's summit is "Destination Education, First Steps to First Career." The annual meeting brings together people from education, business, government and local communities to discuss education needs and policies. The event is hosted by the Education Alliance of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Education and the Michigan Foundation for Education Leadership. Snyder delivered his first special message, on local government reform, in March. pegan@detnews.com (517) 371-3660 From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110425/POLITICS02/104250381/Snyder-to-outline-educational-goals-Wednesday--‘Not-an-easy-change’#ixzz1KaH6NWXY |
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| Administrator | Apr 26 2011, 08:55 PM Post #2 |
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Rick Snyder to push for more public-private education partnerships Paul Egan / Detroit News Lansing Bureau East Lansing— Gov. Rick Snyder plans to highlight a Detroit-area early childhood program Wednesday when he delivers his address on education from the Detroit office of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. The nonprofit's "Early Learning Communities" program, a partnership with neighborhood organizations, trains caregivers so they can help preschoolers develop skills such as reading. Caregivers earn points redeemable for gift cards or further professional development. The program, which serves about 2,200 parents and caregivers, is an example of the type of partnerships Snyder wants to encourage to improve outcomes in early childhood education and in the school system as a whole. In another example of a public-private partnership, the United Way for Southeastern Michigan used a $27.1 million gift from the General Motors Foundation to transform seven Metro Detroit high schools, according to the agency's website. The governor talked about the importance of early childhood education when he spoke Monday at the annual Governor's Education Summit at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing and gave a preview of his Wednesday speech. But he said the entire system, from prenatal to post-secondary, needs to be retooled. Only 16 percent of high school graduates are college-ready, based on ACT scores, and the state ranks poorly in math and reading, he said. "We need to do better," Snyder said in a room largely filled with educators and school administrators. "This … will not be an easy change." "Think about all the great talent, all the great resources in our system, and yet we're not achieving the results we have to achieve." Snyder said he wants to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship by giving schools benchmarks and allowing more autonomy on how best to reach those goals. He also talked about the need for more flexibility in classroom hours and better use of online learning opportunities. The Detroit News reported Thursday that Snyder also plans to address teacher tenure, reducing the cost of teacher benefits and the use of charter schools. State Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield, minority vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee, said in a news release that Snyder's promises to improve education would be undermined by his Feb. 17 budget, which called for cuts of $470 per pupil to K-12 education. "It's going to devastate our schools," Brown said of Snyder's budget, which is working its way through the Legislature. "He's trying to balance the budget on the backs of our children." Before Snyder spoke, Mike Flanagan, Michigan's schools superintendent, told the same group that if it were up to him, he would remove virtually all school regulations. "We need to take away the barriers … to teaching and learning," he said. pegan@detnews.com (517) 371-3660 From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110426/METRO/104260364/Rick-Snyder-to-push-for-more-public-private-education-partnerships#ixzz1KgFj7br2 |
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| Administrator | Apr 26 2011, 09:20 PM Post #3 |
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State Superintendent Mike Flanagan: Removing regulations, like 'seat time,' would let schools be creative Published: Monday, April 25, 2011, 2:13 PM Updated: Monday, April 25, 2011, 5:50 PM By Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press The Grand Rapids Press http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/04/state_superintendent_mike_flan.html EAST LANSING – State Superintendent Mike Flanagan wants to see fewer regulations handed down to schools, starting with “seat time” rules that mandating attendance. Speaking at the Governor's Education Summit on Monday, Flanagan said he wants to allow schools and teachers to be more creative and innovative as long as the end result is improving academic performance. Speaking prior to Gov. Rick Snyder – and two days before Snyder is to unveil his education plan – Flanagan said the state needs to do more to point out and reward the schools that are doing well, rather than obsess on the on buildings falling short. The idea, he said, is that shining a light on the successes will serve as a map for schools looking to make progress. “Let's put the slings and arrows away,” Flanagan told the crowd, which includes educators and policymakers from around the state. “We need to look forward and release the past, and work toward creating in Michigan a smart, nimble and innovative workforce.” Flanagan said schools need to get into the mindset of looking at measures of student performance – a controversial move considering many educators say the tests are unreliable or results are heavily influenced by outside-the-classroom factors. “As a local superintendent 20 years ago, I didn't chase proficiency enough,” he said. “I chased money more than I chased proficiency.” But Flanagan said it would be easier to chase proficiency and tap the talents of the state's teachers if he could “take away virtually all regulations” governing the schools, at least mandates handed down from state leaders. “We should eliminate seat time, as the main target should be a year of growth for every year of education,” he said. Seat time has become and issue as districts are taking long looks at “blended learning,” where students would spend some time with an instructor but perform much of their classwork on the computer, in school in labs or at home via the Internet. Flanagan last year visited Frontiers High in Wyoming, one of the first programs granted a seat time waiver allowing students to work from home on their computers. Flanagan's statements come as an increasing number of regulations are handed down from the federal government, including calls for states to sign up for a common core curriculum, which would set what is taught, and at what grade level. State Board of Education President John Austin, D-Ann Arbor, said after the speech that the national goals and Flanagan's objectives aren't necessarily at odds. “The goal post is the same,” he said. “But we don't want to tell schools how they have to get there. We want to see what they can do, and how they can be creative and innovative.” E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterDMurray Related topics: Dave Murray http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/04/state_superintendent_mike_flan.html |
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| Administrator | Apr 26 2011, 09:22 PM Post #4 |
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Gov. Rick Snyder: Some Michigan test scores 'startling and scary,' vows measurement-driven changes Published: Monday, April 25, 2011, 11:16 AM Updated: Monday, April 25, 2011, 12:56 PM By Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press The Grand Rapids Press http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_some_michigan.html EAST LANSING – Saying that some of Michigan's test scores are “startling and scary,” Gov. Rick Snyder said he's planning to shift the state's education to a performance-driven “system of schools” that will encourage innovation at individual buildings. Snyder, speaking at the Governor's Education Summit this morning, hinted at other changes he's going to propose on Wednesday, including merit pay for teachers and rewarding successful schools. Snyder followed state Superintendent Michael Flanagan, who said he favored eliminating many state regulations to allow schools to be more flexible, including laws for “seat time” that require students to attend for a set number of days. The governor has created a state “dashboard” listing benchmarks and goals, and said he envisions setting such a system in place for every school in the state. That's needed, he said, after seeing how state schools are struggling on national exams, Snyder pointed to eighth-graders ranking No. 37 in the country in math and No. 33 in reading on recent tests. “That's not good enough,” he said. “We have 238 schools with zero percent of the students were college ready. That's failure. “As you look at my administration, you know that I waste no time picking fights and I'm not putting blame on people. I'm here to work together.” He said schools need to focus on proficiency and shouldn't fear being measured. Snyder also said he wants changes in the way local districts are structured, saying there could be a statewide system of schools with powers to be individually innovative. Snyder said consolidating districts would be a local decision, but said he wants to make it easier for communities to take those steps. But he wants to see more districts saving money by consolidating back room services. The governor also said schools – and teachers – should be rewarded for best practices, and that good teachers shouldn't have to move into administration to be paid better. Educators often are uncomfortable with the idea of linking standardized test scores to measuring student achievement and teacher performance, saying the exams are a one-day snapshot and students from homes where education isn't a priority don't do well no matter what happens in the classroom. But Snyder said “it's not impossible” to come up with some way of measuring achievement, and that all sides can work together to come up with a plan. Teachers union leaders said Snyder's plans don't match what research indicates works best. “Research shows that merit pay doesn't make a whole bunch of difference,” said Doug Pratt, public affairs director for the Michigan Education Association. “What does work are small class sizes and better professional development. This governor already has said he wants to cut a half-billion dollars from education. That's going to raise class sizes and force districts to cut some of the programs that are working.” E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterDMurray http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_some_michigan.html |
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| Administrator | Apr 27 2011, 11:06 PM Post #5 |
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Gov. Snyder targets teacher performance in sweeping plan Paul Egan / / Detroit News Lansing Bureau http://detnews.com/article/20110427/POLITICS02/104270387/1026/rss06 Detroit — Gov. Rick Snyder said today he wants to retool Michigan's school system so it demands and rewards performance in terms of student achievement. He detailed changes to merit pay and the teacher tenure system; approval for more charter schools; a new state office devoted to early childhood education; tough anti-bullying measures; a greater emphasis on online education; and a more flexible system in which state funding would follow students wherever they go, rather than being assigned to a particular school district. Further, the governor announced as many as 23 financially distressed school districts could be placed under emergency managers who have beefed-up powers to scrap collective bargaining agreements under controversial legislation he recently signed into law. Snyder also expanded "Schools of Choice" plans and said residents of a local district will have the first opportunity to enroll there, but schools will no longer be able to refuse out-of-district students. And he called for consolidation and competitive bidding of school district business and administrative functions. "Michigan's education system is not giving our taxpayers, our teachers, or our students the return on investment we deserve," Snyder said, noting Michigan ranks 21st in the country in per-pupil education spending, but ranks much lower in terms of academic performance. The system "must be reshaped so that all students learn at high levels and are fully prepared to enter the workforce or attend college," Snyder said in a special message on education that he sent electronically to the Michigan Legislature and detailed at a news conference at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan in Detroit. "They must think and act innovatively, demonstrate high performance, and meet the highest expectations." He called for greater autonomy for individual school districts and more flexibility around class hours and the length of the school year. "Education opportunities should be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," he said. "We must minimize all state and local barriers that hinder innovation at the local level, including seat time regulations, length of school year, length of school day and week, and the traditional configurations of classrooms and instruction," Snyder said. Snyder also detailed a system of measuring performance through use of "dashboards" set up for all school districts and schools. Districts that achieve academic growth will get financial rewards, he said. Snyder, a Republican who took office Jan. 1, also challenged all school districts to offer college credit opportunities to increase the number of advanced degrees Michigan students achieve. "Providing open access to quality education without boundaries is essential," Snyder said. "One of the complaints that I hear most from teachers is that regulations prevent them from working with each students' individual learning styles. It's time we let schools focus on teaching and hold school districts accountable by measuring results." Snyder said he wants to move to a system in which teachers who excel would be eligible for more pay and other rewards to encourage them to keep teaching instead of moving into higher-paid jobs in school administration. The very best teachers would be designated "master teachers" and serve as mentors. He also said he wants to "raise the bar" for teacher training. Education majors would be required to pass their basic skills and subject matter before they could do student teaching. And Michigan universities that offer teaching degrees would have to follow the lead of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in requiring more instruction and student teaching time as part of their programs. The governor said he wants to restructure the teacher tenure system "so that it rewards demonstrated years of effective teaching rather than time in the classroom." Annual evaluations of teachers should be based on multiple measures, but must include effectiveness in advancing student achievement, he said. Pay step increases shouldn't be based on the number of degrees a teacher achieves, he said. Ineffective teachers would be placed on probation after which they could lose the rights and privileges of tenure and "be dismissed in a more timely and cost-effective way," he said. David Hecker, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Michigan, said he's pleased Snyder praised, rather than bashed, teachers. But he said he has concerns about merit pay and other issues and "there are more strategies in there we disagree with than agree with." Hecker said he doesn't understand how Snyder can expect to significantly improve early childhood education, teacher performance appraisals and other aspects of the system while proposing significant cuts in education funding. Doug Pratt, a spokesman for the Michigan Education Association teacher union, said merit pay is "something that countless studies have shown doesn't actually work" in terms of improving student achievement. Today's announcement comes more than two months after Snyder presented a budget in February that cut K-12 per-pupil funding by $470 and slashed university funding by 15 percent or more. State Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield Township, minority vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee, said this week Snyder's budget would "devastate our schools," and "he's trying to balance the budget on the backs of our children." Even with state revenues spiking upward in an improving economy, Snyder said Tuesday more money for education is only one option that should be considered if lawmakers find themselves with as much as $500 million more money to close the budget gap. Using extra money to restore Michigan's depleted "Rainy Day Fund" should also be considered, he told reporters. Snyder said Monday that despite the huge amount of resources going into education and the high level of talent in the school system, it is not achieving the needed results. He said only 16 percent of Michigan high school graduates are college-ready, based on ACT scores, and the state ranks poorly in math and reading. Snyder has said he wants to get rid of education "silos" and move to a holistic education system that extends from prenatal to lifelong learning. To control costs in the present system, Snyder has offered financial incentives to school districts that take steps to control employee benefits, such as requiring employees to pay at least 20 percent of the cost of their health care premiums. For the 2013 fiscal year, Snyder has earmarked $300 million to be divvied up among school districts that move in that direction. Snyder talked about the link between healthy children and the ability to learn during the critical early years and announced a new "Michigan Office of Great Start - Early Childhood" to oversee improvements in those areas, as well as prevention of bullying. On charter schools, Snyder said the caps on their numbers that were established in 1994 no longer make sense. "Charter schools play an important role by offering an alternative education option to parents and students, particularly in our struggling districts," Snyder said. "We need to increase the number of charter schools in Michigan to help attract the top charter operators from across the nation. "I am proposing that any caps limiting the number of charter schools in districts with at least one academically failing school be removed," he said. He also called for removal of restrictions that say a charter board can only oversee one building. Penny Bailer, executive director of City Year Detroit and the "Diplomas Now" drop out and prevention program, said Snyder is grappling with serious issues to bring about the sweeping changes needed in Michigan's educational system, where only 16 percent of students are college-ready based on ACT scores and 238 Michigan schools scored zero on a recent proficiency test. "When you hear some of those statistics it breaks your heart. It's almost criminal we allow this to go on," Bailer said after listening to the speech. "We can't keep doing things like since the 1800s where we have the whole summer off and kids fall 3 to 4 months behind. I like the fact he is willing to fight for change." pegan@detnews.com (517) 371-3660 Detroit News Staff Writer Jennifer Chambers contributed. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110427/POLITICS02/104270387/Gov.-Snyder-targets-teacher-performance-in-sweeping-plan#ixzz1KmdS4BnU |
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| Administrator | Apr 27 2011, 11:11 PM Post #6 |
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Teachers plan to protest Snyder's U-M speech Associated Press Ann Arbor— The state's largest teachers union says it plans to protest Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's weekend commencement address at the University of Michigan. The Michigan Education Association is supporting the We Are The People coalition that's taking part in a Saturday morning rally near Michigan Stadium. That's where the ceremony is being held. The school is standing behind the selection of Snyder, saying every sitting governor since 1967 has given a commencement address there while in office. Snyder plans to lay out recommendations this week for Michigan's school system from preschool through higher education. He says the state has a world-class higher education system but too many students who start college never get degrees. Snyder holds undergraduate, master's and law degrees from the University of Michigan. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110426/POLITICS02/104260419/Teachers-plan-to-protest-Snyder-s-U-M-speech#ixzz1Kmeh2J4b |
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| Administrator | Apr 27 2011, 11:13 PM Post #7 |
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Gov. Rick Snyder vows broad Michigan education changes: 'We will break down the status quo' Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 10:09 AM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 2:28 PM By Peter Luke MLive.com http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_vows_a_broad_o.html Day 116: This is one in a series of posts assessing key developments during Gov. Rick Snyder's self-imposed 182 days to chart a new course for Michigan by July 1. For earlier posts go to mlive.com/stateofchange. Gov. Rick Snyder today laid out an education agenda that seeks to raise standards for teachers and students alike. Among the initiatives: Converting a 19th-century school calendar to a 21st century one that relies more on virtual learning and decentralized education to allow more choice. Snyder said in Detroit this morning that “funding needs to follow the student. This will help facilitate dual enrollment, blended learning, on-line education and early college attendance. Education opportunities should be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “By introducing an education system that offers unfettered flexibility and adaptability for student learning models and styles, we will break down the status quo on how, when, and where students learn,” Snyder said in his second message to the Legislature. “We must minimize all state and local barriers that hinder innovation at the local level, including seat-time regulations, length of school year, length of school day and week, and the traditional configurations of classrooms and instruction.” RESOURCES • A special message from Gov. Rick Snyder on education reform (PDF) • Education dashboard Snyder’s education plan broadly expands school choice that would allow a student to attend any public school in the state. Students should have access to at least two hours of virtual learning per day. Districts that produce high academic results would be rewarded financially. And he warned that some two-dozen primarily urban districts in financial distress would face both a financial and academic overhaul, if completed not locally, then by an emergency financial manager. "Young people in these struggling districts need a financially sustainable education system under which it is possible for both students and teachers to succeed," Snyder said. "They need a system that efficiently directs limited taxpayer dollars toward smart, research-based efforts proven to help all students perform at dramatically higher academic levels.” He intends to create a single office in the Department of Education to coordinate the myriad health, social and education programs for pre-kindergarten children. On the other side of K-12, Snyder proposed a dual-enrollment model that would allow a high school student to attain an associate's degree with just one more 13th year of school. College credits, he said, should be more transferable. Credits earned in high school, moreover, should be honored at community colleges and universities toward degree completion. Snyder’s plan calls for more service consolidation and teacher education changes that require both more student teaching for undergrads but also speed the entry of other professionals into the teaching field. Teacher tenure would be overhauled. Probationary teachers would be evaluated more on student growth. Tenured teachers who excel would have financial rewards to stay in the classroom instead of moving into administration. Continuing education would focus on improving classroom skill. Snyder said "we must embrace profoundly different expectations of our schools, teachers and students. In turn, we must encourage them to thrive by providing a structure that shuns complacency and mediocrity. The reforms being proposed today realign our educational values.” Related content: Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift charter school cap in disticts with failing schools Contact Peter Luke at 517-487-8888 ext. 235 or email him at pluke@boothmichigan.com. http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_vows_a_broad_o.html |
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| Administrator | Apr 27 2011, 11:15 PM Post #8 |
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Gov. Rick Snyder wants to lift charter school cap in districts with failing schools Published: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 10:00 AM Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 10:36 AM By Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press MLive.com http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_wants_to_lift.html The number of charter schools would expand greatly under Gov. Rick Snyder's new education plan, challenging districts to improve failing schools for risk losing students and the state aid that goes with them. Snyder is calling for lifting the cap on charters in districts operating at least one of the 238 state high schools deemed failing – including 14 West Michigan districts. “We can't have generation after generation accepting non-performance,” Snyder is expected to say in Detroit this morning, outlining a wide-ranging education reform plan, according to staff members familiar with the speech. Snyder also would allow charter school boards running a high-performing buildings to oversee additional schools. State laws now require each charter school to have its own school board. The move to allow more charters would affect 14 West Michigan districts, with 20 schools on the list – 18 of them alternative education programs. Students in the schools failed to meet ACT standards for college and career readiness. Affected districts include Grand Rapids, which has eight schools on the list, but also high-performing suburban and rural systems including Rockford, Zeeland and Northview, which operate alternative schools for students who have struggled in traditional settings. Both Snyder and state Superintendent Mike Flanagan referenced the list at Monday's Governor's Education Summit in East Lansing. Snyder said some of the test scores for state schools were “starling and scary.” “We have 238 schools with zero percent of the students college ready,” he told the gathering of educators and policy makers. “That's failure.” The number of charter schools authorized by state universities has long been limited by law to around 200, though the cap doesn't apply to schools authorized by districts. Bill Rustem, Snyder's strategy director, said Snyder believes the state can't continue to stand by as programs fail year after year, and wants parents in those districts to have additional choices. He said the plan to allow one charter school board to oversee a second or third school makes the programs more efficient and helps attract successful charter school managers from other states. “There are groups that won't come to Michigan because of that law,” he said. “You need to have those economies of scale, and a change like this will allow that to happen.” Charter schools are public schools that operate independently, with oversight from universities or school districts. Charters are increasingly looked at as solutions in urban centers, including New Orleans, where the majority of the city's schools are charters. Detroit's emergency fiscal manger has called for greatly expanding the number of charters in his city, calling for converting 41 schools to charters. But critics have said the schools – especially those operated by for-profit management companies – are reluctant to accept special needs students, who are more expensive to educate, and have not delivered test scores significantly better than traditional schools in their place. The schools often are not unionized. Charter school managers say they're ready and willing to jump in to some of Michigan's toughest districts. Robert Bellafiore, vice president for partner services for National Heritage Academies, said Snyder has created a momentum toward turning around the state's schools and the charters can play a major role. The Grand Rapids-based management company has 67 schools in eight states, and is adding a program in Milwaukee in September. “Charter schools are clearly working, across most of the country,” he said. “Our goal is to go into the areas that are the most underserved.” Bellafiore said charters have critics, but he said they also have more accountability than traditional schools. “If parents aren't being served, they will leave,” he said. “A school has to constantly work to maintain high standards for the school will close. That's their incentive to maintain quality.” Former state Superintendent Tom Watkins praised Snyder for taking dramatic action, knowing there are people who will lash out. He said the original concept behind the charters schools was to inspire creative and innovative programs, and Snyder's plan will test that in the most difficult districts. “Some of our schools today are like grocery stores that continue to sell rancid meat, year after year,” he said. “You have to do something, and you absolutely can not write off these children. Everybody is affected by this. These students are your future employees and customers. The charter schools are also less expensive to operate, since few of the employees are part of the state's pension program. But some educators said the state's financial situation might not be as dire as once thought, and deep cuts might be avoided. Education advocates are latching onto revenue collection reports that show through March, revenues for the two major state budgets, discretionary general fund and the school aid fund, are $314 million above January estimates. Snyder said Tuesday he wants lawmakers to complete work on their spending plans before making final budget decisions. While he said the Michigan economy was improving, there are speed bumps head, particularly with gas prices at $4.20 a gallon. One of Snyder’s fiscal goals it to begin rebuilding the state’s rainy day reserve fund, $1.2 billion a decade ago, that’s essentially empty now. “I don’t want to speculate on us having more dollars,” Snyder said. “Are they one-time funds, are they sustainable dollars? We shouldn’t just be going to spend that money today. “Education in general would be among the list of things I recognize" where cuts could be softened, he said. “We also need to make sure we’re being prudent on the savings side.” E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterDMurray http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/04/gov_rick_snyder_wants_to_lift.html |
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| LPS Reformer | May 8 2011, 08:48 PM Post #9 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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