..

Council Highlights 1-18-06

The MASA Council met just prior to the opening session of the 2006 MASA Midwinter Conference in Detroit.

1. Council President Mark Bielang reported that he and Executive Director Bill Mayes met recently with Governor Granholm at her invitation, along with other education association executives. She thanked the associations for their leadership and asked for ideas on how they would like her to recommend spending an unexpected surplus in the School Aid Fund.
2. Special guest, Christine Cohn, our Regional Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education (ED), thanked Michigan for the outpouring of support to hurricane Katrina victims during recent months. She promised to send MASA a report in coming weeks on how the new federal budget will affect education spending in Michigan. She reported that Secretary Spellings has allowed two communities (Baltimore and Chicago) and the state of Virginia to begin supplemental services before or concurrent with choice provisions in NCLB. She is hopeful that by the end of the year, that opportunity will be extended to others. She noted that Michigan’s request for revised accountability plans regarding subgroups will be well received, as Michigan is seen as following a “bright line” toward improvement. She concluded by pointing to e-learning opportunities at www.ed.gov and urged MASA members to contact her with any questions or concerns regarding federal policies. Her email is Kristine.cohn@ed.gov.
3. The Council accepted recommendations by the MASA Legislation Committee regarding implementation of the state board’s proposed high school graduation requirements. The Committee presented an Executive Summary listing recommendations that address concerns about timing, flexibility, student support, opt-out provisions, shortages of highly qualified teachers, and funding. These recommendations were compiled from input gathered during December and January from MASA members throughout the state. MASA Government Relations staff then sorted and categorized the feedback, which showed surprising unanimity among MASA members, and presented it to the Legislative Committee at its January 16 meeting. The Council complimented both the process and the summary, and encouraged MASA to continue to engage in this type of democratic process and communication. These recommendations will serve as a starting point to address pending legislation
4. Dan Pappas, Associate Executive Director, announced that new MIEM calendars for the second semester of 2005-06 are now available. They are experimenting with a Webinar format, in order to save on members’ costs and reduce time away from their districts. Watch for increasing Webinar opportunities, beginning with a session January 26 addressing Legal & Practical Implications of Michigan's New School Safety Legislation.