Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Notes on PTSA Advocacy Day 2010 with some stats and some letters

PTSA Advocacy Day in Lansing was very successful!  Upon mulling over the most important ideas, I have come up with these:

I learned more about the State of Michigan Fiscal Agency May Revenue Conference which estimates that the School Aid Fund (SAF) has $300 million more in it at this time than had been anticipated in January of 2010.  Does this mean we are in the clear?  No!  We are now struggling with legislators who are looking at the School Aid Fund and considering raiding it to pay for other state services. 

Remember: The School Aid Fund receives money from several pots of money.

1. Sales Tax 42%
2. Income Tax 19%
3. 6 mills on all Property-State Property Tax 16%
4. Lottery 6%
5. Other taxes/Sin Taxes 10%
6. General Fund 15%

The general fund used to provide more funds to schools, but less has been going into the SAF from the general fund and the legislators are looking to raid the "surplus" of SAF to prop up the general fund.

We need to tell our legislators to leave the School Aid Fund alone and use it for K-12 education.


Hmmm...  We learned today that the states in the US have the highest proportion of adults with a 4 year college degree have the highest per capita income and have higher personal income and sales taxes.  Michigan ranks 37th in the proportion of college degrees, 39th in personal income and about the middle with tax burden.  Should we settle for "middle of the road" in all of these categories?

We need to ask our legislators to expand the sales tax to services in order to fully fund our schools.

Our schools are burdened with guessing how much money they will receive from the State of Michigan each year.  The school districts, including EGRPS, have to pass a balanced budget each June 30.  The State of Michigan doesn't have to pass a budget until October 1st.  The law recently changed and the school districts don't even receive money from the state for the new school year until October 20th.  I couldn't run my household budget wondering just how much money I will get in 3 months.

We need to ask our legislators to make the passage of the School Aid Fund a priority and to fully fund it by June 30, 2010 so that our schools can get their business done without guessing, borrowing and having mid-year cuts.

Take a look at the letters below.  Please consider pasting them into an email and sending them to our legislators.  The addresses are in the next column.  They do listen when they hear from us.  We need to work together!!  Thanks--Lucy Lafleur

Dear Senator Jansen--

I have learned that the School Aid Fund may have more money than anticipated in January 2010.  While this is very good news for our schools, I have also learned that some unwise decisions are being considered in Lansing regarding the utilization of these funds for areas of the budget that do not have to do with schools.  Please resist this and vote against the use of the School Aid fund for anything other than funding our K-12 public schools.

Thank you,


Dear Representative Hildenbrand--

I have learned that the School Aid Fund may have more money than anticipated in January 2010. While this is very good news for our schools, I have also learned that some unwise decisions are being considered in Lansing regarding the utilization of these funds for areas of the budget that do not have to do with schools. Please resist this and vote against the use of the School Aid fund for anything other than funding our K-12 public schools.


Thank you,

A Call to Action!!

I attended the EGRPS Board of Education Meeting on Monday, May 24, 2010.  I was heartened to see so many in attendance.  Here is a summary of the public comments made during the first 40 minutes of the meeting.  There were 4 comments regarding the essential skills of Trent Wadsworth, the Auditorium manager who is being threatened with a slash of his position from full time to half time.  There were five people who voiced concern over the impending loss of funding for the Youth Development program.  In both cases either current students or recent graduates were among the commentators.  The wrestling coach reported on the struggles the team has had and the plan for the team to decrease the costs involved.  A parent commented that the team is looking to decrease the costs for the team by half and submitted a proposal.  Two wrestlers voiced their concerns about eliminating the program.  A comment was made concerning the loss of the Middle School counselor.  A first grade paraprofessional commented on the essential services provided by these professionals, asking that the program not be eliminated.  She submitted a report with statistics regarding the need for these services.  A comment was made by a long term library volunteer on how difficult it will be to man the libraries with volunteers and how difficult it will be for the students who have received literature suggestions and research assistance by the paraprofessional in the library.

The layoffs which were proposed included: Kindergarten Teacher at Breton (.5 FTE), a full time High School Counselor, the (.6 FTE) Middle School Social Worker, the Breton Social Worker (.6 FTE) and the Health Teacher at the High School (.3 FTE).  The proposals were approved by the Board, but the layoffs will only occur if necessary.  Notification has to be made in the semester prior to the layoff according to the teacher's contract.

Mr. Kevin Phillips reported on the May Revenue conference in Lansing and how this will impact EGRPS.  In January of each year, the State Fiscal Agency attempts to estimate how much money will be collected in taxes and whether this money will be enough to pay for all of the expenses in the State of Michigan budget that is passed the previous October 1st of each year.  The January 2010 Estimation was very bleak and this is where the plan to cut $250 per pupil in funding K-12 education was derived from.  This was not unexpected.  Michigan is going through a severe downturn in the economy and the budget is no longer being propped up with federal stimulus dollars.  When the May conference tallied the numbers, however, the money collected from the state was looking less bleak and that the School Aid Fund might have $300 million more than was anticipated in January.  Much of this coming from $180 million in federal stimulus that is being carried over from last year.  Mr. Phillips is reporting that many of the proposed cuts will not happen if the per pupil funding is not cut by as much as originally anticipated.  That is, if the $300 million is actually used for K-12.

Mr. Phillips also reported on the Retirement Bill which was recently passed by the legislature.  This incentive by the State of Michigan is to urge teachers with a combination of years of service and age to retire at a slightly higher rate, which will allow them to keep their benefits.  Those who choose to stay working will have a mandatory 3% contribution of their salary to a State of Michigan fund to fund retiree health benefits.  This change in the law will not benefit EGRPS a whole lot.  EGRPS has been careful to offer retirement incentives in the past, so there may not be a large pool of retirees under this program.  EGRPS will have some help from the state in implementing this program for the first year.  In 2011-12 and 2012-13, the wage replacement will be gone and districts will have the higher retirement costs until the incentives are paid off in 5-6 years. 

Lucy Lafleur

Monday, May 17, 2010

Advocacy Day in Lansing Tuesday, May 24, 2010

Another opportunity to roll up our sleeves next week.  Please consider Advocacy Day.  Email if you are interested.    mailto:lucylafleur@sbcglobal.net.

The Focus is School Funding!!!
Michigan PTSA
Advocacy Day
Tuesday, May 25
Radisson Hotel, Lansing

MPTSA Advocacy Day 2010 Reg Form2.pdf





http://mptsa.orbro.com/mailmerge/519/1273843507_MPTSA_Advocacy_Day_2010_Reg_Form2.pdf

Updated Schedule of Events:


8:00am: Continental Breakfast and Registration


9:00am: Welcome


Overview of School Funding
—Bernie Porn, Epic MRA
Panel Discussion on School Funding
—Donna Lutke, MEA
—Tom White, SOS


10:45am: How to Lobby the PTA Way; What Do We Want Our Members to Ask For?
—Kevin McLogan, MPTSA VP for Children’s Advocacy
—Debbie Squires, MPTSA Past President
11:30am: School Funding Discussion
—State Representative Terry Brown
—Liz Bauer, State Board of Education
Boxed Lunch
12:45pm: Move to Capitol to Meet with Legislators
Attendees should schedule appointments with their legislators in advance.
Appointments with House Members should be scheduled before 1:30!


REGISTER NOW!!!
Registration form is attached.


Michigan Parent Teacher Student Association
3300 Washtenaw Avenue, Suite 220, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-4294
Phone: 734-975-9500 - Fax: 734-677-2407
Web site: www.michiganptsa.org

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

State of Michigan Board of Education's Bipartisan Recommendations for Education

State Board of Education Unanimously Adopts Balanced, Bi-Partisan Plan to Reform and Finance State's Education System
 
Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Communications 517.241.4395

From the Michigan Department of Education website  www.michigan.gov/mde
  
May 11, 2010

  
LANSING - The State Board of Education unanimously adopted today a balanced and bi-partisan plan to reform, restructure and finance Michigan's education system, from early childhood education to post-secondary.

  
The State Board now will present the plan to the state Legislature, in accordance with the Board's state Constitutional responsibility to advise the state Legislature on the financial requirements for Michigan education and higher education.

  
"This is a comprehensive, balanced plan that is right for Michigan," said State Board Vice President John C. Austin, who led the development of the plan. "Education is the key investment for this state. Starting at birth, education is essential for our citizens and our state's economy."

  

 
The plan, Recommendations to Better Support Michigan's Education System: Revenues, Reforms and Restructuring, is a balance of broad education restructuring initiatives, as well as continued cost reductions and revenue increases.

 
State Board President Kathleen N. Straus stressed the urgency in which these reforms must be implemented. 
"We really have an emergency in Michigan," Straus said. "Many school districts have done what we've asked them to do - share services, share superintendents, and cut, cut, cut their budgets. Yet they're rewarded by getting more cuts in their state funding. This is destroying Michigan's education system."
 

 Straus stressed that public education is essential for the revival of Michigan's economy and its future.

 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan said that he fully endorses the State Board plan. "This is a landmark plan," Flanagan said. "What makes it unique is that it's not pie-in-the-sky; it's a very balanced approach that can work."

  
The plan includes, among other things:

 
  1. Universal preschool for all four-year-olds;
  2. Mandated kindergarten for all children;
  3. Keep the K-12 funding levels prior to the fiscal year 2010 cuts;
  4. Strongly encourage districts to stop reducing the school year below 180 days;
  5. Encourage schools to continue to innovate and explore innovations such as year-round schooling, and    alternative calendars that increase learning time and improve learning retention;
  6. Yearly progress requirements for schools and districts;
  7. Synch the state budget cycle with the budget cycle of local school districts, and a guarantee from the state that there be no mid-year pro-rated cuts in state funding;
  8. Incentives to provide a post-secondary education opportunity for every child;
  9. Urging local school districts to provide more education choices for their students by opening their own charter schools;
  10. Create strong incentives for school districts to consolidate services, and if progress is not made, establish a district consolidation process
  11. Move newly-hired public school employees to a defined contribution pension system;
  12. Reform the health care benefit structures for school employees, consistent with the direction of reforms for all public employees;
  13. Maximize the capture of an Internet Sales and Use Tax for Michigan;
  14. Lower the state sales tax, and extend it to services;
  15. Tax private pensions;
  16. Reduce targeted tax credits and so-call tax loopholes; and
  17. Implement a graduated income tax, taxing wealthier citizens at a higher rate, while reducing income tax rates for most citizens.

The State Board's plan was a culmination of working together in a bi-partisan manner that focused on the overall need to accomplish real change.

  
"This was an exercise in the way government should work," said State Board member Casandra Ulbrich. "I hope the Legislature can take a step back and take a lesson in how to work together.

  
"My only fear is that the Legislature will look at this plan and pull out only the things they like and ignore those they don't," Ulbrich added. "I hope they look at it in its entirety."

  
State Board member Carolyn Curtin confirmed the bi-partisan consensus process of the development of the plan. "We all have differences of opinion," she said. "Yet we were able to talk about it and get it to a place where we all could support it."

 

Letters to Senator Jansen and Representative Hildenbrand regarding revenue for schools

Mark Jansen SenMJansen@senate.michigan.gov;


Dear Senator Jansen--


Having listened to the severe budget cuts being made in my school district and having read in the newspaper about severe budget cuts in neighboring school districts, I feel very disappointed in my elected leaders. Over and over, we hear about how an educated workforce is the only solution to our state’s woes, yet the Legislature continues to cut both K-12 education and the universities. I am asking you, as my State Senator, to negotiate a budget that includes Governor Granholm’s proposal to lower the sales tax and expand it to services. This new revenue will put our public schools back on their feet. This action must be done before the beginning of the school’s fiscal year, July 1, 2010. Our future depends on it.



Regards,





David Hildenbrand rephildenbrand@house.mi.gov

Dear Representative Hildenbrand--


Having listened to the severe budget cuts being made in my school district and having read in the newspaper about severe budget cuts in neighboring school districts, I feel very disappointed in my elected leaders. Over and over, we hear about how an educated workforce is the only solution to our state’s woes, yet the Legislature continues to cut both K-12 education and the universities. I am asking you, as my State Representative, to negotiate a budget that includes Governor Granholm’s proposal to lower the sales tax and expand it to services. This new revenue will put our public schools back on their feet. This action must be done before the beginning of the school’s fiscal year, July 1, 2010. Our future depends on it.



Regards,

Some Public Pulse template letters

Here are some Public Pulse template letters for the Grand Rapids Press.  Email to pulse@grpress.com.

1.  This one is about the Fund Balance--the savings account used by the EGRPS school district to even out erratic state funding and to keep interest payments as low as possible.

Fiscally responsible school districts hold back money from their budgets during stable years. This money is called a fund balance. Due to the crazy way the schools are funded in this state, the fund balance is used by school districts to cover expenses during the months between when their fiscal year starts (July 1) and when they receive the first check from The State of Michigan (October 20). Most districts have to borrow money to operate for this quarter of the school year. The more money the schools have in fund balance, the less interest the schools have to pay on the borrowed money. The schools also use this money to buffer budget cuts during difficult times, like we are living in now. I applaud the stewardship of the East Grand Rapids School District and their use of a fund balance to operate our schools in impossible fiscal times.


2.  This one is about asking for the Legislature to revisit Governor Granholm's proposal to expand the sales tax to services to fund schools.  This one was published by the GR Press on Monday, May 10, 2010, but additional letters can be sent in agreement.

Having listened to the severe budget cuts being made in my school district and having read in the newspaper about severe budget cuts in neighboring school districts, I feel very strongly that my legislators have let down the whole State of Michigan, including me, my husband and my children. Over and over, we hear about how an educated workforce is the only solution to our state’s woes, yet the Legislature continues to cut both K-12 education and the universities. I am urging the Legislature to return to Governor Granholm’s proposition to lower the sales tax and expand it to services. This new revenue will put our public schools back on their feet. Action needs to be taken before July 1, 2010, the start of the schools’ fiscal year. Our future depends on it.