Special Report
School & District Management

Mich. Lawmakers Stumbling on Schools Changes

By The Associated Press — December 18, 2009 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Michigan’s effort to win up to $400 million in additional federal funding for schools threatened to get sidetracked Thursday by bipartisan bickering.

Democrats who run the Michigan House and Republicans who control the Senate said they were still hopeful compromises could be reached on school reforms to win Race to the Top money offered by the Obama administration. Lawmakers were hoping to craft a package before their scheduled adjournment for the year, which could come as soon as early Friday. They were preparing for a possible all-night session.

One of the key hang-ups is disagreement over how to allow charter schools to expand in Michigan. House Democrats favor rules that charter school supporters say would result in limited expansion only in poorly performing districts. Senate Republicans favor rules that would allow greater expansion across the state.

Sen. Wayne Kuipers, a Republican from Holland, said charter schools is only one of the sticking points in the negotiations with Democrats.

“It’s an important part of the issue,” Kuipers said. “But it’s not the only thing by any means.”

Bickering peaked early Thursday afternoon. House Democrats held a news conference during which Speaker Andy Dillon said Senate Republicans had walked away from negotiations. Dillon took out his cell phone and called Kuipers to invite him to a meeting in his office. Republicans countered that it was Democrats who had backed away from the bargaining table.

A few hours later, the key lawmakers were talking again.

Applications for Race to the Top cash are due from states in January. The Obama administration says it will split more than $4 billion in stimulus money among the states that do the most to expand charter schools and make other reforms aimed at improving the nation’s schools.

Mike Flanagan, Michigan’s schools superintendent, has said the state will have to reform some of its education laws to have a shot at the money.

Republicans want to include measures that would allow poorly performing teachers, including those with tenure, to be replaced.

Democrats have included proposals that would mandate students remain in school until they reach age 18, which Republicans say would cost the state up to $130 million in its first year.

Other measures would allow school turnaround specialists to take over poorly performing districts, create an alternative teacher certification program and tie teacher evaluations to student test scores.

Lawmakers have said the state’s cash-strapped schools need the money offered in the federal competition. But many of the reform ideas have been kicked around the Capitol for years before the announcement of the Race to the Top competition.

“It’s not just about the money,” said Rep. Tim Melton of Auburn Hills, a key Democratic negotiator.

Related Tags:

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Opinion When It Comes to Leadership, Self-Awareness Matters. Here's Why
One leader learned she had a habit of shutting down others' ideas instead of inspiring them. Here's how she changed.
Robin Shrum
6 min read
Picture1 6.19.32 AM
Robin Shrum
School & District Management Opinion Don’t Bewail Summer Vacation for Students, Rethink It
Students experience summer vacation differently, depending on family resources. We should rethink the tradition with that in mind.
2 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Women in K-12 Leadership Don't Get Enough Support. Here's What Needs to Change
Fairer family-leave policies, pay transparency, better data collection, and more on-the-job support are elements of the plan.
7 min read
Illustration showing diversity with multi-colored human figures.
ajijchan/iStock/Getty
School & District Management School Counselors Face 'Role Ambiguity.' This State Tried to Clarify Matters
New York's new regulations didn't always change how principals viewed or interacted with school counselors, research finds.
5 min read
Man trapped in maze.
Man trapped in maze.
iStock/Getty Images Plus