Consider welfare of school children and vote for millage
I’d like to write to encourage everyone living in Washtenaw County to vote in favor of the Enhancement Millage for public schools on Nov. 3. I know that many people are not currently parents of children in public schools — you do not have children, your children are grown, or you use private or charter schools. You may be tempted to vote no on this millage. But I’d like to ask you to think beyond your own pocketbook on this proposal and consider the welfare of thousands of children in Washtenaw County, including my own two children.
My 3- and 6-year-old boys have developmental delays — speech and a form of autism. Both are both the recipients of highly customized and costly therapy through the Ann Arbor Public School system — speech, occupational, and physical therapy, as well as specialized early intervention services.
Since health insurance covers no treatments for autism, we must rely on the services provided by the public school system, which still only covers a portion of what we might access. Nevertheless, I’ve seen tremendous growth as a result of these services, and I am concerned that the impending educational funding crisis will result in serious cutbacks that will affect them—all students, in fact. As I’ve worked in schools all over southeastern Michigan as part of my job, I’ve seen firsthand the cutbacks that have already occurred in most schools, from restructuring to lay-offs to the virtual elimination of most professional development. Some school districts have no teachers with less than 15 years experience—everyone newer has been laid off.
A few weeks ago at a conference, I heard Mike Flanagan, the state superintendent of schools, tell the audience that he is now one of only ten employees of the Michigan Department of Education. They have other positions funded by federal funds, but this department has been virtually eviscerated. Local schools are much, much leaner than five, 10, or 15 years ago, and now they are about to sail over a funding “cliff” of disastrous proportions. So schools are in a tight situation, but you may still ask why you should vote for this millage, especially if you don’t benefit directly from their services. I believe you should vote yes for two reasons.
First of all, Ann Arbor is the economic engine in this county, and we all win or lose based on its health. Both employers and individuals look carefully at the quality of K-12 education in Ann Arbor when making decisions about relocation. Traditionally, Ann Arbor has had a well-deserved reputation of academic excellence which has drawn businesses and individuals. It is in everyone’s best interest to keep that reputation intact. A highly-publicized millage rejection will add to the cloud of economic doom that hangs over Michigan and tarnish Ann Arbor’s appeal. Secondly, I think that every voter should consider the less-advantaged districts in the county. They have been struggling financially for years, and this kind of funding cut would have dire consequences for their students. Many of these kids are up against serious odds, and a good education is their best hope. Another huge funding cut will reduce the offerings in their schools even more and limit their possibilities. So down to the brass tacks: an average Ann Arbor homeowner with a $150,000 house will pay about $150 additional with the passing of this millage. With state and federal tax return credits, 40 percent will pay under $100 a year. No matter where you live in the county or your exact cost on this, it is an investment in the children of Washtenaw County and the health of our economy. I hope that you will vote yes. Sarah L. Lorenz Ann Arbor
Comments
Tom Bower
Thu, Oct 22, 2009 : 8:25 a.m.
Not all public school academy's are run by private corporations. For example, Washtenaw Technical Middle College is chartered by Washtenaw Community College. The board of WTMC is approved by the board of WCC. The board of WCC is publicly elected. In addition, charter schools have to conform to all the rules/regulations that traditional schools do. That is, public school academies are directly accountable not only to the citizens of the state of Michigan via the Michigan Department of Education, but also to their authorizing body. Since 1993, about 40 charter schools have been closed in Michigan due to effective oversight procedures. How many ineffective traditional public schools have been closed? The last line of public accountablility for public school academies are the parents of the students the schools serve. If a public school academy is not performing, parents will not elect to enroll their children in the school. Without students, the school will close. Parent choice is a huge accountablility factor for public school academies. Poor school performance = no students = school closes. Name one traditional public school that has to operate in this type of competitive/market driven environment? There are none. As for performance of public school academies, check out the following: Michigan Charter Schools Do More with Less Source: Michigan Association of Public School Academies http://www.charterschools.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=44 Charters are doing more with less. 62% of the state's charter students are minorities, one of the highest ratios in the country and significantly above the state average of 26 percent. About 58% of Michigan charter students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch. Charter schools receive a per-pupil funding of about $7,888. This is $1,198 less per student than all traditional schools statewide, and $2,576 less per student than the traditional district where the charter school is located. Charter total student funding is never more than what the local district gets. Charters are not allowed to levy millages or sell public bonds. In fact, many charters pay property taxes back to traditional districts. Michigan charters put their dollars in the classroom. Latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows 63% of all charter staff are in the classroom, directly helping children to learn. In contrast, the state average for all schools is 48% -- among the worst in the nation. According to the Michigan Dept of Education (MDE), charter school students in grades K-8 outperform students in similar traditional public school districts in 25 of 27 MEAP tests. Charter high school students have achieved an 86% graduation rate, 12% above similar traditional districts. According to the MDE, students in charter schools receive, on average, $1,778 less per year in combined state and local financial resources than students in host districts. And for information about a recent published study comparing public school academy performance with traditional school performance in New York City see the following: Charter Schools Performance A recent study shows New York City charter schools outperform traditional schools. Source: New York Times (September 22, 2009): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/education/22charters.html Direct link to the report The New York City Schools Charter Schools Evaluation Project authored by Stanford University professor of economics Caroline M. Hoxby: http://www.nber.org/~schools/charterschoolseval/
YpsiLivin
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 : 12:10 p.m.
". Lastly, the WISD board of trustees is not accountable to voters in Washtenaw County. When was the last time you were able to vote for one of the five WISD board members? Never. They are not publicly elected. This also should be changed. But, that is an issue for another time. " Whoa... big step there. Where is the public oversight and accountability for charter schools, Tom? For the life of me, I can't remember once electing someone to a school board that oversees our local charter schools. Charters are privately managed organizations with ZERO public accountability for the expenditure of public monies. None. Charters answer to no one, Tom. NOBODY. As for the inherent "unfairness" of the distribution of millage money (should this one somehow pass), charter school administration companies knew and understood that there was no mechanism in the charter school authorization law to gain access to any millage money and that charters would not be authorized to request additional dollars from the taxpayers. They agreed to take the base foundation grant from the state and that's it. Apparently, you didn't get the memo...
Tom Bower
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 5:33 p.m.
Sarah L. Lorenz. And what about the special needs students attending the nine public school academies in Washtenaw County? Aren't they deserving of the benefits the enhancement millage funds could provide? Yet, under current state law, these public school students, more than 3,500, will not receive one penny of the enhancement millage funds. This is a huge denial of the equal protection rights of these 3,500 students. I agree that some of the districts in Washtenaw County are on life-support. That's another problem with the proposed millage. Under current law it has to be allocated based on a proportional basis based on the student population of each "general powers school district" (there are only ten) in Washtenaw County. Clearly, districts like Willow Run and Ypsilanti with much higher percentages of low income students (based on free and reduced lunch data)as well as higher percentages of special needs students should receive a larger portion of the enhancement millage funds. That is, the allocation should be based on some formula associated with "student need." But, again the hands of the WISD are tied. What actions, if any, has WISD taken to address this at the state level and amend the current law concerning general enhancement millages? My guess, is nothing. Why, an allocation system based on "student need" which would indicate a much greater proportion of the millage dollars going to those districts most "at risk" would never be approved by voters in Washtenaw County, or any county for that matter. Lastly, the WISD board of trustees is not accountable to voters in Washtenaw County. When was the last time you were able to vote for one of the five WISD board members? Never. They are not publicly elected. This also should be changed. But, that is an issue for another time.
Rosie
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 5:27 p.m.
Zulu, what do you propose are the non-essential programs that a school could cut? Some would say that students strictly need to be able to read and write and that football (and all other sports) is not a necessity. What would happen here, or anywhere in the U.S., if sports programs were eliminated or change to pay-to-play? Many people would be up in arms if sports were cut, but you don't hear those same people raising a huge fuss when there are 32+ kids in elementary classrooms. Districts do their best to make cuts that won't affect what goes on in the classroom, but many times very vocal members of the community convince them to do otherwise. The state cut funding by $165 per pupil this school year. The federal government does not step in and make up the difference when that happens. I understand the economic situation here at this time, but we need that millage now more than ever. If we want to be able to provide a quality education for our students so that they can continue in school and become productive members of our economy, adding to our state's revenues rather than draining them, we need to vote yes. Our future depends on it.
KeepingItReal
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 3:59 p.m.
Sarah. I am glad to know that your children are getting the services they need. For truly needed programs, I don't foresee those services being eliminated. However, I do see a need for the reduction or elimination of non-essential programs as a means of reducing the overall budget. When the administrators show a good faith effort to reign in some of these non-essential programs that are costing us taxpayers money, then it will be time for them to come to the taxpayers for a millage based on solid justification of the need. When you add up all of the millages that are being presented to us taxpayers, in addition to the county millage that will not be presented to us taxpayers, plus the millages we are already responsible for, you're talking quite a bit of money per household. Add to this fact, that many county employees and school personnel are downright unprofessional in their dealings with the public and there is no incentive on behalf of taxpayers to support such behaviors. Ihere is no support for a millage in my household.