Schools

House Committee Votes To Lift Cap on Charter Schools

It would likely lead to expansion of number of charter schools in the state; what do you think?

The state House Education Committee voted Wednesday to end the cap on the expansion of charter schools in the state.

Senate Bill 618 now goes to the full House.

"Every Michigan student deserves to receive a quality education of their own parents' choosing," said newly-appointed committee chairman State Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester, in a news release. "This legislation empowers parents to have the options needed to keep their children out of failing schools."

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There are no charter schools in West Bloomfield, but according to the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, there are 232 charter schools in Michigan and more than two-thirds of the schools have waiting lists.

The Michigan Education Association has openly opposed the bill, calling it "another attempt to destroy public education and divert public taxpayer dollars to private, for-profit companies."

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Dave Murray of The Grand Rapids Press quoted Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield, saying that Democrats had about 40 proposed amendments, but narrowed the list to 15. Many addressed quality and fairness issues, such as mandating the schools provide transportation to any student living in a school district where the charter is located.

In a news post today, the MEA urged its members to contact legislators and voice their opposition to the bill.

Vickie Markavitch, superintendent of Oakland Schools, has strongly opposed the entire education-reform package being considered by the Legislature, and urged parents via her Twitter account to get active and contact their representatives nearly every day for the past two weeks.

On Tuesday, she expressed her concerns about quality control while testifying before the committee.

"Why is there a push for the uncapping of charter and cyber schools without any quality assurance put in place before licensing these entities?" Markavitch said. "And why is there strong resistance to requiring a review of the success or failure these companies have experienced, before they market themselves to our parents and children? This I do not understand."

She said that in Oakland County, about 60 percent of the charter schools fall in the bottom quarter of Michigan's Top to Bottom List of Schools.

"I know those schools in the bottom quartile are working very hard to get better," she said. "All I'm saying is that we should make sure they get better before we allow them to get bigger."

McMillin, however, said the bill would increase opportunities for a quality education in the state.

"Today we gave the tens of thousands of students on charter school waiting lists hope for a better future," he said.


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