Hello to My EGRPS PTA Legislative Committee and Friends--Today is the day to set aside other tasks and take our task in hand. We don't have time to put this in a blast. We have to send out emails and call our friends. The House Education Committee met yesterday. See the summary below. I testified in Lansing with two other mothers in order to protect our schools. We were in the minority. Although it appears that there are plenty of charter schools in Michigan, the Republicans in charge want to move forward in lifting the cap. There is no plan to close existing schools. The market forces are supposed to come into play with the less effective schools withering and dying or improving their services, like in the business world. If you wonder if this is possible, please read Professor Morin's work out of Western Michigan University. He studied Michigan schools (starting with a pro charter outlook) and found that traditional public schools are the poorer for charter schools opening. Please read his research at the WMU website http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news/2010/07/011.shtml.Lisa Lyons has been placed on the Education Committee because it is believed that she will vote yes for this bill. We need to call her, write her and we need to do it today. Please send an email out to your friends. We don't have time for a blast. If we don't influence her today, the cap will be blown and charters can move into high performing districts like ours with devastating effect. Please read what the Washington Post has to say about Michigan'seducation reform at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FE15x0bzT&h=eAQH4DtdFAQECHYqMfbDMZcffnM__DwkTmYgcEqBfm6MiZw.
Lucy Lafleur, Chair EGRPS PTA Legislative Committee
Phone: (517) 373-0846
Toll Free: (855) 596-6786
Toll Free: (855) 596-6786
LisaLyons@house.mi.gov
Dear Ms. Lyons--
As the newly appointed member of the House Education Committee, you have the ability to vote against the Parent Empowerment bill which is before this committee. I am certain that Michigan has enough charter schools with new charter schools opening every school year under the current law. I am concerned about unlimited charter schools stretching the School Aid Fund too far and severely limiting the resources available for the existing public schools. I am concerned that oversight for quality and fiscal oversight of charters is to be provided by the charter issuer rather than locally elected officials like a public school board. I am concerned that traditional schools will become poorer for charter school opening nearby. this has been researched by a WMU professor http://www.wmich.edu/wmu/news/2010/07/011.shtml. Please vote no on this bill. School reform needs to be well thought out in order to not starve traditional public schools.
