s been made much clearer. In short, the impact on students and school choice is far greater – and much more sinister – than they claimed at their press conference.
Put simply, if HB 5852 (Roberts) were passed, every single charter school in the state will likely be forced to close once their current charter contract expires. The bill prohibits authorizers from issuing ANY charter contracts, not just the opening of new schools. Since all charter schools operate on a contract of one-ten years, passing this bill will eliminate all 300 charter public schools in the next 10 years. Every one of the current 140,000 students enrolled in charter public schools could lose their school under this bill.
Every legislator must hear from constituents like you that eliminating all charter public schools is bad public policy. Please click here to access MAPSA’s legislative contact website and you can easily send an e-mail to your legislators and the key bill sponsors to express your opposition.
GLEP Endorses 15 More Candidates in the General Election
This week GLEP announced endorsements in 15 general election campaigns for State Senate and State House of Representatives. In addition to the 43 winning candidates endorsed by GLEP in the August Primary Election, this brings the total of 58 endorsed candidates for the 2014 General Election. We urge all voters to get to know the positions of those candidates seeking their votes. Click here for a full list of all 58 endorsed candidates.
Canton), 21st State House district. Light refreshments will be served. Click here to register for this FREE event.Teacher Backs Snyder in New Campaign Ad
In a new campaign ad, Linda Thayer, a 31-year public school teacher, endorses the re-election of Governor Snyder and supports his argument that K-12 education funding has actually gone up. This ad is direct and factual. We sure hope a lot of voters see it!
Update from the Legislature
On Wednesday the House Education Committee took testimony on HB 5778 (Kesto), a bill to require instruction on genocide and the Holocaust in high school social studies. A substitute bill was adopted in committee and GLEP indicated support for the revised bill.
The Federal Government, States, and Standards: A 25-Year Partnership?
Twenty-five years ago this week, President George H.W. Bush and the nation’s governors gathered for a two-day summit in Charlottesville, Va., to discuss a single policy issue—education. The Sept. 27-28, 1989, gathering was a crucial point in the push for standards-based education accountability. Click here to read a special report from EdWeek on the history and people behind these reforms.
UPDATE: Still No Superintendents Have Signed the “School Accountability Pledge”
MAPSA’s “School Accountability Pledge” is still available for signing by any traditional public school superintendent willing to operate under same accountability, transparency and oversight laws as Michigan’s charter public schools. We keep waiting for just one superintendent to sign it, and when they do we’ll let you know right away!
Education Reform News Clips
GLEP in the News
Monday, September 29
Tuesday, September 30
Wednesday, October 1
Thursday, October 2
Friday, October 3
Gary G. Naeyaert