Michigan Federation of Teachers & School Related Personnel
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Michigan Federation of Teachers & School Related Personnel
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Capitol Report Archives Go to current Capitol Report for links to complete archive. 2002 May April March February January 2001 2000 |
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Charter Schools Lack Oversight Inkster School Review Team Appointed Highland Park Consolidation Plan Announced Senate Bill 1137 and 142 would Improve School Infrastructure New Teacher Training in First Aid and CPR Student Directory Information may be found on the Legislative Hotline page of this website.  Return to Top Charter Schools Lack Oversight An Auditor General report [#3113501 - Performance Audit - Office of Education Options (72KB)] released on June 14, covering November 2000 through March 2002, stated that the Department of Education has done little to oversee creation or operation of Michigan's 189 charter schools. Among the findings of the audit of seven charter authorizers and 22 charter schools:
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins had asked the Legislature to delay their vote on House Bill 4800, which would increase both oversight responsibilities of and the number of charter schools in the state, until legislators have time to review the charter school audit. Mr. Watkins said the department needs additional staff and resources to meet the oversight requirements outlined in the bill. According to the department, it currently has 3.5 employees and a $500,000 budget to oversee the public academy chartering agents, and some of that money was shifted to other programs. At least two of those staffers will be leaving later this year under the state's early retirement plan. The department has asked for 6 1/2 more employees. Central Michigan University has reportedly 65 people assigned to oversee the number of schools it has chartered. The department as a whole, at 311 people, is about 150 short of what it needs to do the work assigned to it. Seventy-four of those current employees are seeking early retirement. House Bill 4800 is currently on the House floor where a vote can be taken at any time. The MFT&SRP still opposes House Bill 4800 due to the 230 increase in charter schools and the inability of oversight by the Michigan Department of Education. Return to Top Inkster School Review Team Appointed On June 14, Governor John Engler appointed a five-member team to review the finances of the Inkster School District. Superintendent Tom Watkins requested the investigation to look into financial problems and disagreements between the district and Edison Schools, Incorporated, a management company contracted to manage the district in 1999. The five members of the review team are:
Return to Top Highland Park Consolidation Plan Announced On June 13, Governor Engler announced a proposal to combine the operations of the city and the schools into one consolidated governance unit led by a chief executive officer (CEO). Through the consolidation, all the public assets of the community would be gathered so that, in combination, there would be sufficient resources to address the financial emergency and to reduce the cost and inefficiencies of duplicated governmental services. The Governor also stressed that this consolidation would not reduce the amount dedicated to educating the children of Highland Park because the proposal would ban the use of school funds for paying city debts. He emphasized that financial savings generated by the consolidation would come from streamlining operations, such as human resources and purchasing, that are performed by both the city and school district. The key provisions of the proposal are:
Return to Top Senate Bill 1137 and 142 would Improve School Infrastructure Senate Bill 1137 (Stille, R-Spring Lake) would create the "Michigan School Infrastructure Improvement Bond Authorization Act" to require the State to issue up to $1 billion of general obligation bonds to finance infrastructure improvements at Michigan public schools, subject to state-wide voter approval. Senate Bill 142 (Bennett, R-Canton) would provide for the State's issuance of the bonds and to create the "Michigan School Infrastructure Improvement Bond Fund," which would have to be used to purchase interest-free bonds from school districts and make interest-free loans to public school academies for the acquisition, construction, or major renovation of school buildings. The system is created as follows:
Another separate provision allows public school academies to receive up to $40 million in interest- free loans for infrastructure. The funds would be distributed to public school academies in an amount not to exceed $581 per student. These schools would also have to enter into an agreement with the Department of Treasury regarding the term of the loan and manner of repayment. Senate Bill 1137 and 142 were substituted on the floor of the Senate and passed. They are currently before the House Committee on Commerce. If the bills do not pass the House by summer recess, the school bond question will not make the November 2002 ballot. Return to Top New Teacher Training in First Aid and CPR House Bill 4237 (Rocca, R-Sterling Heights) would prohibit the Superintendent of Public Instruction from issuing an initial teaching certificate to a person unless that person presented evidence that he or she had successfully completed a course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The new requirement would begin July 1, 2003. Under the bill, new teachers would have to hold valid certification from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or a comparable organization or institution approved by the Department of Education. A person would have to have successfully completed a Department- approved course in first aid and CPR, including a test demonstration on a mannequin, as well as instruction approved by the Department in foreign body airway obstruction management. A person would be exempt from this requirement if he or she had physical limitations that made it impracticable for him or her to complete the instruction and obtain the required certification. A person who met the requirements of the bill and who performed first aid, CPR, or foreign body airway obstruction management on another person in the course of his or her employment as a teacher would not be liable in a civil suit for damages resulting from an act or omission occurring in that performance, except an act or omission that constituted gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct. House Bill 4237 passed the House, but was substituted in the Senate Education Committee. The bill must be passed by the full Senate before it goes back to the House for their consideration. Return to Top Student Directory Information House Bill 4874 (Stamas, R-Midland) has been signed to become Public Act 437 of 2002. This Act amends the Freedom of Information Act to allow a public body to exempt from disclosure under the Act "directory information" as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. A local or intermediate school district or a public school academy shall exempt from disclosure directory information as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, requested for the purpose of surveys, marketing, or solicitation. The school district may release directory information if they determine that the use is consistent with the educational mission of the district and is beneficial to the affected students. A local or intermediate school district or a public school academy may take steps to ensure that directory information disclosed shall not be used, rented, or sold for purposes of surveys, marketing, or solicitation. bk:opeiu42aflcio |
