Schools of Choice or Loss of Local Control?

This Fee Press article is about legislation that would force all school districts to participate in schools of choice programs.  While this sounds noble, it is a continuing erosion of local control by the state.


http://mee.bo/ozMXeX

Lucy

Teacher Tenure Law Passed--Now What?

This article is about the changes in teacher tenure that occurred legislatively this summer.

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/08/when_michigan_tenure_reform_fu.html

Lucy

More with Less?

This article summarizes some of the controversies in education that have been  thrown around over the summer.    Are we graduating too many teachers?  If we are training all these teachers but they are moving out of state, is that the best use of our resources?  How can public school districts do more with less when so much is expected of grads in order to make it in this economy?  Some things to think about.


http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/08/a_tough_economics_test_can_pub.html

Lucy

How is our Economy Really Doing?

Since public education is directly impacted on our economy both in West Michigan and in Michigan as a whole, we need to keep up on exactly how we are doing.  This article from The Center for Michigan gives an overview of all the major metropolitan areas of Michigan.  It reminds us how interlinked we are, especially with Detroit.  The Center for Michigan is a nonpartisan think (and do as they say in their literature) tank focused on reviving Michigan.

http://bridgemi.com/2011/09/battle-creek-lansing-ann-arbor-outpaced-grand-rapids-in-00s/

Privatizing Services

This article goes over the controversial privatizing of services in public schools.  Schools may be forced into this option, but there is still debate over whether it is the best choice for our schools.

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/08/more_than_half_michigan_school.html

Lucy

These Articles Point are the Voices of the Great Divide

In this article, Peter Luke interviews an education lobbyist with many years of experience in public schools.
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/08/qa_with_david_zuhlke.html

In this article, Peter Luke interviews a Republican House Representative.
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/08/qa_with_state_rep_bill_rogers.html

This gives a good overview of the divergent world views on public education that our state faces right now.

Lucy

Some end of the year articles.

Here are some end of the year articles about the budget process.  Feel free to email articles you want posted.  I will periodically update the articles over the summer.  It was good working with everyone this school year.  Lucy

This article is regarding the law that prohibits step increases during negotiations.  This was passed to little fanfare.
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2011/05/teacher_step_increases_retroac.html

This is a good analysis of the budget process.  It is not specifically about education.  In fact there is only one sentence about parents of school children.
http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/05/peter_luke_how_political_flip-.html

This is a good analysis of the article by the MI superintendent wishing his school children were treated as well as the typical Michigan prisoner.
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/05/julie_mack_column_does_michiga.html

This is the KISD Superintendent making the last effort to argue against using the School Aid Fund for community colleges and universities.
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/05/guest_column_transfering_schoo.html