THE FACE OF ANN ARBOR VOLUME 3, NUMBER 47

75

Inside

Chief Judge Julie Creal resigns

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2-B

A2 LIVE
Inside
Page 2-B

Inside: Vyne Records founders

focus on work ethic
Thursday, November 24, 2011

Retiring officer has road named after him

Page 7-A

Education Board against Senate bill eliminating caps on charter schools

It has already passed the Senate, but would need to pass the Michigan House and be should not signed by Gov. eliminate its Rick Snyder. It caps on charter is tie-barred to schools, the Ann several other bills, Arbor Board of which means all Education said would need to pass Nov. 9 when it for any to become adopted a resolu- Christine Stead law. tion opposing Several aspects Senate Bill 618. of the Senate bill SB 618 is part of a parare troubling, the resoluent empowerment packtion argues. Universities age of bills thats working already have the power to through the Legislature. grant up to 150 charters for
A2 Journal

On the RAIL

By James David Dickson

public school academies. Individual universities are now banned from granting more than 50 percent of the total charters, according to the state analysis. SB 618 would eliminate that cap. Some 80 percent of Michigans charter schools are run by for-profit companies, a nation-leading average. The state spends roughly $910 million annually on charter schools, the resolution states. Charter schools are also allowed more latitude in choosing their own student

bodies than public schools, which have to take in students within district limits. Whereas, charter schools tend to be more segregated than traditional public schools..., one clause reads. Meanwhile, only 17 percent of charter schools outperform traditional public schools. Roughly 37 percent underperform relative to public schools, and the rest are too close to call. The resolution encourages the state to evaluate the quality of the 250-plus

charter schools that do exist before opening the door to create new ones. Copies of the resolution were sent to Gov. Rick Snyder, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, Washtenaw Countys representatives in Lansing and two school board associations and the media, among others. The resolution was penned by Ann Arbor Board of Education Trustee Christine Stead
PLEASE SEE BILL/16-A

Sports
Huron spoils Skylines rst varsity hockey game.

Page 1-C

New law gives more power to physician assistants

By Amy Bell
A2 Journal

ON THE WEB

By James David Dickson

A2 Journal

School districts preparing for dramatic decline in test scores

A new state law will allow area physician assistants to Marc Moote provide more help to doctors in an effort to improve access to health care and make it more sustainable. Public Act 210 of 2011, signed by Gov. Rick Snyder Nov. 8, lifts restrictions on physician assistants when prescribing certain medications under the supervision of a physician. It also allows the physician assistants to perform rounds and take medical histories, duties that were previously limited to physicians. Senate Bill 384, sponsored by state Sen. Jim Marleau,
PLEASE SEE PHYSICIAN/16-A

Make sure your child is well-rested, fed, hydrated and present for every single day of testing unless hes sick, in which case he should stay home. In some ways, the 201112 Michigan Educational Assessment Program testing season, and the advice school districts gave parents beforehand, was like any other. But with the midSeptember passage of new, tougher MEAP and Michigan Merit Exam cut scores by the State Board of Education, school districts and parents are bracing for a major drop in achievement data this The Ypsilanti school district, like many others in Washtenaw County, has reached spring. out to parents to explain the impact the tougher Michigan Educational Assessment The new cut scores put Program and Michigan Merit Exam standards will have on student achievement. Michigan on par with New York and Tennessee as the be on achievement data? That waiver has not yet have taken a proactive only states to judge their Nothing less than drabeen granted, and may approach to warning students at the toughest matic. not be. parents about the lower level. As the Michigan The change has been In an effort to let parscores that are coming and Department of Education so dramatic that the ents and school districts how they plan to respond, explained at the time, Michigan Department know how their students Heritage Media has found. students will need to get of Education has sought stack up, the state released But as Cherie roughly 65 percent of the a waiver from the U.S. retrofitted MEAP and Vannatter, superintenanswers correct to pass Department of Education MME data earlier this dent of Manchester the state test, instead of for the requirement that month. The numbers Community Schools, said only 39 percent as was the 100 percent of students were jarring, so much so of Manchesters efforts previous benchmark. must be proficient in read- that several Washtenaw How big will the impact PLEASE SEE TEST/16-A ing and math by 2013-14. County school districts

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INDEX
Second Front Editorial Calendar Sports Classified Page 4-A Page 6-A Page 3-B Page 1-C Page 10-B

Technology millage request moved to May ballot

By James David Dickson
A2 Journal

The $46 million technology millage request originally planned for the Feb. 28, 2012, ballot has now been moved to May 8, 2012, after the board adopted a resolution Nov. 16. The move was suggested by Superintendent Patricia Green at the boards Nov. 2 Committee of the Whole meeting and approved unanimously last week by the trustees in atten-

dance, Susan Baskett, Deb Mexicotte, Glenn Nelson, Christine Stead and Andy Thomas. Simone Lightfoot and Irene Patalan were not at the meeting. At the school boards Aug. 10 meeting, the administration was directed to have the millage ready for the Feb. 28 election date. The move to May was motivated, in part, by a closed Republican presidential primary that would have shared the February date. This would bring out a number of conservative vot-

ers who might be skeptical about a millage. The change will also allow the school district more time to make its case to the public. Ann Arbor voters have historically been supportive of educational millages, but no one is willing to take a yes for granted in this economy. The move to May, which will require a special election, will cost the district at least $50,000 more than sharing the February date with the Republicans. But a no

vote on the millage would cost the district $46 million in the long run. If it passes, the bonds proceeds will be spent in three phases: $23,955,000 beginning in 2012, $12,590,000 beginning in 2015 and $9,310,000 beginning in 2018. The first phase will focus on infrastructure, the second on replacing equipment, and the third on a mix of infrastructure work and equipment replacements, according to the frequently asked questions guide,

which covers 21 common queries. The proposal will cost homeowners roughly $25 a year per $100,000 in home market value. The money cannot be used to hire teachers or pay other salaries, which are operating, general fund expenses. These funds would be segregated in their use to technology. Staff Writer James David Dickson can be reached at JDickson@Heritage.com.

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