Remarks by GLEP’s Gary Naeyaert at the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy at Albion College | February 27, 2017
- Despite $14 billion/year investment in K-12, academic performance is lacking
- Less than 50% of students are proficient in any grade or any subject on M-STEP
- Less than 20% of high school juniors are “college and career-ready” per ACT
- One of few states where 4th Grade reading proficiency has DECLINED in 10 years
Why is Michigan’s educational performance below the national average?
- Balkanized governance, no consensus mission; too many chiefs/few braves
- Superintendent of Public Instruction is appointed by elected State Board of Ed
- 6-2 Democrat majority for nearly 10 years; now 4-4 R vs D
- Governor has no authority over schools (Gov should appoint the Supt & SBE)
- Legislature funds education and intervenes often
- Higher education institutions are constitutionally autonomous (teacher prep, etc)
- Something uniquely bad has been happening in the Detroit Public Schools
- DPS enrollment was 180,000 students 15 years ago, today it’s 45,000
- Detroit ranks dead last in NAEP scores (way below other cities)
- History of corruption (Emergency Managers; 12 principals went to jail last year)
- 47% of Detroit adults are functionally illiterate; half received DPS diplomas
- Improvements in education require a 3-pronged approach, pushed by GLEP:
- Choice
- We have charters, but were under a cap for over a decade, stifling growth
- Currently 300 charters with 150,000 enrollment (10% of all students)
- Online charter enrollment capped at 2% of statewide enrollment
- Demand continues to outpace supply; still waiting lists at many charters
- Michigan is only Midwest state without private school choice program
- Quality
- Michigan Merit Curriculum passed in 2007 under Governor Granholm
- Created most rigorous standards in the country
- ACT test required for all juniors, paid for by the state
- ACT score is HIGHER than when only college-prep juniors took it
- MDE increased proficiency cut scores from 35% to 65% “correct” in 2012
- Eliminated “illusion of proficiency” and started telling parents the truth
- Statewide proficiency dropped from 80% to 55% w/new cut score
- Michigan passed a K-3 Reading bill to improve early literacy in 2016
- Accountability
- MDE’s “Rainbow Report Card” identifying schools by colors isn’t meaningful
- Plus “Top to Bottom” Ranking; Priority, Reward & Focus labels
- We need a simple A-F accountability system to give parent’s better info on school performance, balancing proficiency with student growth.
- Despite having the power since 2011, the state hasn’t put a single district school in the State Reform District or closed one for academic failure.
- We simply must have clear consequences for chronic failure. Get better or be closed. Over 100 charters have been closed over the years.
- Michigan has failed to attract quality charter operators from other states:
- Cap in 1999 closed state for national operators (hit cap < most had charters)
- Charter school students receive $1,400 less per pupil in total revenue
- Charter access to facilities is difficult given resistance of districts to sell buildings
- Charter operators face hostile environment (political tension & union backlash)
- Charter schools can’t be as innovative since they must follow every law, rule and regulation affecting traditional public schools, with the following exceptions:
- Not subject to state tenure act
- May contract via third-party for instructional services, avoiding MPSERS
- May limit enrollment to capacity, requiring random lotteries
- Can’t levy local taxes
- Mandatory closure in state law
- Despite these challenges, key facts about charter school performance in Michigan:
- Charters (2/3 at-risk) are less proficient than the statewide average (1/3 at-risk)
- Socioeconomic status is linked to academic performance (not an excuse)
- Charter students are MORE proficient than their demographic district peers
- Charter students experience 2+ months (3+ in Detroit) of additional learning gains (i.e. growth) when compared to their demographic district peers
- Charters: longer school day/year; balanced calendar; no union K
- Continuously-enrolled (3+ years) students in charter public schools (2/3 at risk) MATCH the proficiency rates of the statewide average (1/3 at risk)
- Highlights of Detroit school proficiency on the 2015 M-STEP:
- 18 of the Top 25 schools are Charters
- 23 of the Bottom 25 schools are DPS Schools
- Charters are 60% more proficient than DPS (DPS: 9%; Charters: 14%)
- Open enrollment charters & DPS schools vs “selective” enrollment DPS
CURRENT ISSUES
- Standards & Assessment: Efforts to repeal college-and-career-ready standards
- Adopt old/rejected MA state standards and return to paper/pencil tests
- Failing Schools: 38 “failing schools” via SRO; March release postponed until May
- GLEP recommends closure, or “replacement” if undue hardship exemption
- ESSA Accountability Plan: Public comment until 3/16; submission in April
- Federal Gov’t giving more flexibility and returning decision-making to the states
- K-12 Budget: uniform foundation grant vs. differentiated funding by grade/model
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