..

Council Highlights 3-21-07

The MASA Executive Board and Council met March 21, 2007 at the MSU University Club in East Lansing , Michigan . Here are some highlights.

• Executive Director William Mayes reported on a recent meeting with the newly appointed executive director of MPSERS, Phil Stoddard. The meeting was part of an ongoing effort by MASA to clarify MPSERS policies and practices regarding reportable compensation for retirement purposes, and to facilitate better communications between members and MPSERS. Although the meeting was cordial and productive, there still remain some questions about the role of the MPSERS board and the authority they have to change existing practices with little or no notice to prospective retirees. MASA will continue to follow up this effort; the association will update its model contract and send memo to members within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Mayes urged superintendents to put as much of their compensation as possible “up front in salary” to avoid disappointment at retirement time.
• Guest speaker Ron Whitmore, a consultant with the Michigan Educational Collaborative Alliance (MECA) presented background and updates on the work of the Alliance to provide training and support for districts that would like to pursue Interest Based Bargaining. While Ron acknowledged that “if your current negotiations model isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” he also urged districts that might like a more collaborative model to consider IBB as a tool. He emphasized that IBB is more than a “touchy-feely” approach to negotiations. Rather it can be a powerful process that starts with a self-assessment, includes intensive training for participants, and involves dual facilitators (labor and management.) To learn more, contact Ron at 231.627.4940 or rwhitmore@aol.com.
• Guest speaker Greg Marks provided updates on the Career Forward online learning curriculum . A collaborative project of MDE, MVU and Microsoft Partners in Learning, the curriculum meets the state’s online learning requirement; helps struggling students prepare for the global economy; and encourages students to take charge of his or her own future. The 20-hour program targets secondary students and is available at no charge to schools. Contrary to some misconceptions, the program does not supplant or replace earlier career exploration tools like MyDreamExplorer. Rather, it incorporates these into a broader curriculum around motivating students. For more information visit http://careerforward.org. To schedule a training visit www.solutionwhere.com/inghamisd.
• Legislative Committee reported that is sees no serious leadership around fixing the structural deficits in Michigan’s school funding at present. There also appears to be a critical shortage of passion coming from education and other human service groups; the “anti-tax” groups are rallying their base and consequently are having a much larger impact on legislators.The committee urged all regions to engage their members in a united effort to push legislators into proactive decision-making. For those wanting more background on the current economy, the structural deficit in schools and the importance of education to Michigan’s future, visit the Citizen Research Council at www.crcmich.org and explore the reports and resources there. The Council also approved the committee’s recommended positions and action regarding legislation addressing sinking funds, consolidation of services, common calendar, anti-bullying, and compulsory attendance, as well as the Governor’s tax restructuring proposal. For more detail, contact our Government Relations staff at 517.327.5910 or your region’s legislative committee representative.
• Professional Leadership Committee reported that they have collected a good assortment of superintendent evaluation tools, and expect to have a new “model evaluation” available to share with members by mid-summer.