Speaking of Leading:
“Our district has faced some difficult times for a while but when things get difficult you have to be more aggressive to raise the spirits of the community. I’m very proud of the faculty and staff who have worked so hard to positively impact the children, parents and the community as whole. We stood forward and faced the wind and always made what we believed was the right decision for children.”

–Gary Faber, Superintendent of West Bloomfield Schools, in the West Bloomfield Eccentric, 5. 19.08 upon receiving a prestigious community award.

Implementing a successful school consolidation process: Part 2

By Mike Zinn

Part 2 of a 3-part series, this article will focus on the information gathering and recommendation phases of the process.

Part 1 Review (see MASA's May 16, 2008, issue of the Leader)

Part 1 of this article focused on the essential first steps within the facilities study process:

• Defining the Facilities Study Team role, responsibility and length of service.
• Creating a Selection Team to identify criteria for selecting Facilities Study Team members.
• Providing the Facilities Study Team with the appropriate training, organizational structure and ground rules.

Part 2 will focus on the information gathering and recommendation phases of the process.

• District Financial Status
• Student Enrollment Trends
• Building Data
• Building Tours
• Selecting Evaluation Criteria
• Using Task Teams
• Recommendation Task Teams
• Selecting the Best Option
• Presenting the Team’s Recommendation

District Financial Status
The district’s Chief Financial Officer can provide team members with the current and future “picture” of the district’s finances. Areas for emphasis might include: financial variables, state budget impact, funding sources and expenditures, facility and transportation costs, etc.

This overview will reinforce the need for the district to use and manage its facilities in a cost-effective manner, which may result in the need to consolidate schools and or programs.

Student Enrollment Trends
Gaining an awareness of the district’s historical and projected student enrollment will illustrate the district’s declining enrollment. This data should be presented by grade level for each building in the district and include general and special education students. It is instructive to provide historical data for each of the previous five years. Going forward, projected student enrollment should be provided for each of the next five to seven years. A recent Facilities Study Team learned that within five years the district would have a student population that used sixty percent of the district’s capacity.

Building Data
The district’s Operations Director should provide a profile of each building in the district, including:

• Age of each building
• List of renovations
• Number of classrooms
• Student capacity
• Assessment of infrastructure
• Floor plan
• Etc.

Building Tours
The building profile will prepare team members to visit each building in the district. A small Task Team can develop an assessment template for the tours. The assessment form will provide an evaluation of building conditions:

• Halls and ceiling
• ADA compliance
• Parking and parent pick-up areas
• Classrooms
• Site and building size
• Exterior
• Playgrounds
• Etc.

Using an assessment scale (1-5 for example), team members can compare and rate the characteristics of each building and identify specific strengths and weaknesses. Tabulating and summarizing the scores, strengths and weaknesses of each building will create a consensus among team members.

Selecting Evaluation Criteria
Identifying objective criteria to evaluate various recommendations is a key activity in the facilities study process. A Task Team can gather information and ideas from the entire team and use that information to draft a proposal. Criteria selected by Facilities Study Teams have included:

• Space utilization
• Operating costs
• Geographic considerations
• Transportation
• Building condition
• Etc.

Facilities Study Teams have found it helpful to prioritize the criteria. Based upon the specific needs of the district, some criteria will clearly be of a higher priority. The Task Team should review their proposal with the entire team for their input, modification and consensus.

Using Task Teams
Making use of small, short-term, Task Teams (5-7 people) throughout the process enables a team to take advantage of the expertise and interest of individual team members. Using consensus decision-making to assess buildings, determine criteria, etc. prepare the team to make the very difficult consolidation decisions.

Recommendation Task Teams
Creating several Task Teams to develop consolidation recommendations provides an opportunity for all team members to be actively involved in evaluating the information gathered and selecting a viable option. Each Task Team will require 4-6 weeks to assess the information and develop their recommendation. Most districts have directed the team to recommend a five (5) year (i.e. 2013-2014 school year) facilities plan. A common format should include:

• Buildings to remain open
• Building to be set aside for alternate use
• Student enrollment and boundaries for each building
• Operating costs
• Etc.

Selecting the Best Option
Each Task Team should present their preferred recommendation to the entire team with an opportunity for feedback and input. Active facilitation of the discussion will be required as each option is evaluated “side-by-side” based upon the criteria and priorities selected by the team. Using this objective scoring method will determine which option best meets the team’s criteria and priorities. Further discussion allows the team to modify or improve the recommendation, possibly using ideas generated by other Task Teams.

It is essential that the Facilities Study Team gain consensus on the recommendation to be presented to the Board of Education. Using consensus-seeking guidelines, previous consensus “success,” active facilitation and providing time are necessary during this phase.

Presenting the Team’s Recommendation
The final step in the process is a formal presentation to the Board of Education. Previous presentations have included:

• Background on the process used and steps taken by the team
• Types of information gathered and evaluated
• Assumptions, criteria and desired outcomes used by the team
• Consolidation recommendation and rationale
• Etc.

Coming in June:
Once the Board of Education adopts a consolidation plan, the School district must implement a Transition phase. Creating a Core Planning Team composed of staff members, parents, students and administrators can assist the district to plan and prepare for the transition. The final article in this series will focus on this important phase.

Mike Zinn combines 18 years of teaching experience with 25 years of human resource training and facilitation. He has conducted over 300 projects for School Improvement Teams and Administrative Teams with an emphasis on team building, leadership, and project planning. He has facilitated three (3) facilities study projects for school districts in Michigan . Mike can be reached at: mgzinn@yahoo.com or 941.993.6403.

Join the Courageous Journey!
Ask a member about their reactions

The Courageous Journey® program is the first of its kind in the country. The work of Courageous Journey® is all about becoming the best you can be as a superintendent and making an impact in the district you serve. This program is a job-embedded experience that allows practicing superintendents to learn together and from each other. As a participant, you will direct your learning and your endorsement work around the priorities you have for your work and for your district. Your faculty team will assist you by helping you assess your status as a school district leader, set personal growth goals, and implement a systemic approach to change and improvement for your district.  When you join the program, you become part of a community of learning leaders committed to making a difference in student results. 

MASA is ready to begin enrollment for the forth cohort of the Courageous Journey® Superintendent Endorsement Program for practicing superintendents. The first three cohorts are well in progress toward their new Michigan Superintendent Endorsement. This MASA program is the only way to earn the Michigan Superintendent Endorsement. Consider signing up soon because it will be enrolled on a first come, first served basis for MASA members.

Learn more about the Courageous Journey® program by going to www.courageousjourney.org or by calling either Pat Reeves (269 720 3285) preeves@gomasa.org or Jerry Jennings jjennings@gomasa.org (517 449 0518) of MASA.

Or ask any of these current members about their experience.

Cohort 1

Geoffrey Balkam
William DeFrance
Mark Dobias
Scott Dunsmore
Peter Everson
Michael Gaunt
Michael Koster
Storm Lairson
Ben Laser
Bruce Mayle
Marie Miller
Thomas Miller
Donald Myers
Eric Palmu
Leonard Rezmierski
Carole Schmidt
Catherine Shamion
William Skilling
Ronald Stoneman
Norman Taylor
Marsha Wells

Cohort 2

Gregory Baracy
Scott Belt
Terry Boguth
Nathan Bootz
Bruce Burger
William Eis
Charles Glaes
Kyle Griffith
Lisa Hagel
George Heitsch
Lloyd Kirby
Mike O'Mara
David Pruneau
Richard Repicky
John Silveri
Joseph Trimboli
Lori Tubbergen Clark
Susan Zurvalec

Cohort 3

R. Kent Barnes
Dan Bauer
Frederick Clarke
Steve Cousins
Randall Davis
Martha Essenmacher
Brian Friddle
Ted Gardella
Rodney Green
Jackie Johnston
Cheryl Kreger
Barbara Lott
Jeffrey Mount
Michael Murray
Donald Pavlik
Dave Peterson
Albert Roberts
Chris Stephens
Deborah Thompson
Cindy Vujea
Brenda Wilson
Cheryl Wojtas
Stephanie Burrage

MASA website features NEW “contract & retirement” page

MASA members can now easily access updates and documents to help them develop stronger employment contracts and plan more strategically for retirement. The new “contracts and retirement” page can be found by clicking on “Member Services” at www.gomasa.org. The page features critical information that could influence contract negotiations and retirement decisions, including:

• News & updates 
  •  Executive Board receives Retirement Issues Work Group report
  • Important information for spring ’08 contract negotiations
• The Public School Employees Retirement Act of 1979
• Administrative Rules
• Reporting Instruction Manual (4-11-08): Section 5
  • Link to online RIM
  • Link to ongoing RIM changes
• MPSERS Board information
• How to access MASA Contract guidelines
  • For counsel regarding your district contract and a copy of the MASA contract guidelines, please contact the MASA office at 517.327.5910 to speak with a Director. You can also email your request to jscofield@gomasa.org. 
•  MPSERS Normal Salary Increase (NSI) tables (1996-2008)

*If you have news or updates to share regarding your experiences with the retirement system, contact Linda Wacyk at 517.327.9268 / lwacyk@gomasa.org. Or Brad Biladeau at 517.327.9265 / bbiladeau@gomasa.org.

*If you have ideas for Opinion Poll topic, please contact Linda Wacyk, 517.327.9268.

Citizens Research Council predicts Michigan's structural deficit will continue to grow

The Citizens Research Council of Michigan projects that Michigan's budget challenge will continue to grow through Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) because virtually every area of the State budget faces spending pressure increases that outpace projected revenue growth. This "structural deficit" will persist even as the economy improves.

Growing "gaps" between Projected Revenues and Spending Pressures
Provisions in the Michigan Constitution require the Governor and Legislature to take annual actions to keep current spending in line with current revenues. The CRC projections in Michigan's Fiscal Future quantify that absent those requirements and without substantial policy changes, structural deficits in Michigan's General Fund, K-12 education finances, and highway finances—by FY17—would grow to:

• $6.0 billion in the state General Fund
• $3.6 billion in K-12 education finances
• $417 million in the state highway program

Access the 8-page summary of Michigan's Fiscal Future

Access the full Michigan's Fiscal Future report (152 pages)

About the report
Using a well-established regional economic forecasting model, CRC and the W.E. Upjohn Institute collaborated on an analysis of Michigan 's future state budget challenges from FY09 through FY17. The analysis is based on a series of assumptions about the performance of Michigan 's economy between 2007 and 2017. This new analysis covers budgets supported by three major state funds: General Fund (GF), School Aid Fund (SAF), and the Michigan Transportation Fund. Major changes in the State's tax structure made in 2007 that will affect future State revenues have been factored into this analysis as have two series of tax cuts required by state law for FY09 and beyond.

Policy Implications
Although Michigan has met the legal requirement that it have a balanced budget (i.e., available revenues equal to or greater than spending) each fiscal year, since FY01 it has done so through the use of reserves and other non-recurring resources and actions designed to minimize spending cuts. As a result, the more fundamental issue of matching current State revenues to current spending pressures remains largely unaddressed. The projection quantifies the extent to which current fiscal policies must be modified. To do that, combinations of spending and revenue policy changes will be needed to force the rates of growth in both sides of the budget to approximate one another.

The Picture by Major Funding Source:

1. General Fund (GF) — General Fund revenue is projected to grow on average at 1.4 percent per year, from $10.0 billion in FY 09 to $11.1 billion in FY17. GF spending pressures, however, are projected to grow 6.8 percent annually which will expand GF expenditures from $10.1 billion in FY09 to $17.1 billion in FY17. As a result, the projected annual gap in the State General Fund will grow from $100 million in FY 09 to $6 billion in FY17. Spending pressures in two areas stand out as major causes of the GF structural deficit: Corrections and health care. Both areas are projected to grow at more than five times the rate of increase in revenues unless policies are implemented that substantially reduce their rates of growth.
2. K-12 Education Finances — On-going resources (state, local, and federal) available to finance K-12 education programs are projected to grow at a rate of about 3.0 percent per year, from $18.1 billion in FY09 to $23.0 billion in FY17. Spending pressures, however, are projected to grow 4.7 percent annually, which will expand expenditures from $18.4 billion in FY09 to $26.6 billion in FY17. As a result, the projected annual gap in K-12 finances will grow from $350 million in FY09 to $3.6 billion in FY17. The K-12 education finance gap is largely attributable to spending pressures for health care for both current and retired school employees. Health care costs for active employees are projected to grow at an annual rate of 9.3 percent and health care costs for retired employees are projected to grow at an annual rate of 11.9 percent.
3. State Highway Finances — On-going resources (state and federal) available for the state highway program are projected to grow at a rate of about 3.5 percent per year, from $1.6 billion in FY09 to $2.1 billion in FY17. Spending pressures, however, are projected to grow at a rate of 5.6 percent per year, which will expand expenditures from $1.6 billion in FY09 to $2.5 billion in FY17. As a result, between FY09 and FY17, the annual gap will grow to $412 million. The figures above, however, do not include costs associated with unmet highway construction, repair or replacement needs from earlier periods. Adding those costs would dramatically increase the projected spread between spending and revenues.

Craig Douglas named President, Tom Langdon named President-Elect, T.C. Wallace and Geoffrey Balkam named Executive Board Directors

MASA is pleased to announce that Craig Douglas, Superintendent of Carrollton Public Schools, has been elected MASA President for 2008-2009. Craig has been a MASA member since 1991 and has served on the Executive Board since 2005. He also served as a Council representative in 2004.

Tom Langdon, Superintendent of Big Rapids Public Schools, has been named President-Elect. Tom has been a MASA member since 2000 and has served on the Executive Board for three years. He also served on the Professional Leadership Committee for two years from 2002-2004 and the Conference Planning Committee from 2006-2008.

T.C. Wallace, Superintendent of Lansing School District, will serve as Director through June 2009. T.C. has been a member since 1992 and has served on the Executive Board for one year.

Geoffrey Balkam, Superintendent of Climax-Scotts Community Schools, will serve as Director through June 2011. Geoffrey has been a member since 1997 and has served on the Council for three years.

All officers will be installed at the President’s Installation to be held on Friday, June 13, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. at the Saginaw Valley State University, Curtiss Hall.  Please mark your calendar and watch for the invitation which you should receive soon.

Are you in the loop?

MASA’s opt-in MASATalk listserv for members provides a forum for members to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss issues of critical importance to superintendents and first-line assistants. By simply sending an email through MASATalk, members can gain immediate feedback from their colleagues on issues such as communication strategies, management trends, cost-saving measures, and more.

This week’s topic: lowering transportation costs. A member launched a dialogue about ways to cut bus runs without losing community support.

If you’d like to participate, e-mail lwacyk@gomasa.org or jharder@gomasa.org.

MASA Constitution results

The proposed changes to the constitution included in the recent 2008 ballot were passed by an overwhelming majority of MASA voters. These changes, you may recall, were needed in order to create consistency within the document regarding names of membership categories and to allow for electronic (virtual) balloting in the future, similar to AASA.

We wanted to make you aware, however, that the ballot language included in your mailing inadvertently omitted the language below marked in blue italics:

Article VI-Officers-Section 8

The election of the President-elect shall be conducted by (xx-mailing-xx)sending an annual ballot to all (xx-active-xx)primary members of the Association. Places on the ballot shall be acquired by filing petitions signed by ten (10) active members in good standing from at least three (3) different regions of the Association on or before February 1 of each year.

The omitted language did not contain information significant to the changes being voted on, however, and will not affect the outcome of the election results. We apologize for the mistake and have corrected it in the copy of the constitution to be published in the 2008-09 directory. If you have any questions, contact our office at 517.327.5910.

View the MASA Constitution.

Regions present Champion for Children Awards

Each year MASA regions present their own Champion for Children Award to an outstanding member of their community who has had a positive impact on education in their region. This year’s recipients are no exception.

Region 1 presented its award to Tom Johnson. Tom Johnson is the Director of Community Schools and Athetics at Iron Mountain Public Schools , where he won recognition for his leadership in community safety and athletics. "Toms leadership in athletics has brought Iron Mountain to the level of being one of the premier athletic programs in the state. He always finds a way to help students, parents and coaches in numerous ways throughout the seasons. He stresses sportsmanship, leadersihp, and doing what is right. It is easy to see that Tom's life of positive influence over thousands of student athletes, along with his efforts to provide youth, adults and senior citizens with better education and personal improvement leads this community to success."
- Steve Peffers, superintendent of Marquette-Alger RESA.

Region 2 presented its award to Denis Fitzgerald and Fredric "Jack" Rowan. Denis Fitzgerald is the Hale Middle School Principal, where he won recognition for providing innovative programs to help at-risk students attain higher levels of academic achievement and for helping students make positive choices in their own decision making.

"Jack" Rowan is the Local Business Man and Volunteer Varsity Football Coach and Visionary at Inland Lakes Schools, where he won recognition for his service For initiating and constructing a one million dollar athletic complex for the use of all Inland Lakes students, and former Inland Lakes students attending college free of charge. The Rowan Athletic Complex is a first class facility that is a point of pride for the community, built with donated labor and funds.

Region 3 presented its award to Jane Johnson. Jane Johnson is the Director of the Department of Human Services at Muskegon County, where she won recognition for her active promotion of the Family Resource Center concept with schools in Muskegon County . Nine Family Resource Centers serve six districts in Muskegon County —the highest number per county in the state. “Jane is a spokesperson for doing what is right to benefit children. She is a Champion for Children— and families.”
– Roxanne DeWeerd, MASA Region 3 president.

Region 4 presented its award to Dennis Carmoney. Dennis Carmoney is the president of the Clare Sports Boosters at Clare Public Schools, where he won recognition for his dedication to the student athletes of Clare Public Schools. “Mr. Carmoney is a fighter. He never gives up when it comes to kids. He doesn't require recognition; he does what he does because of his love for the community's chldren.”
- Gregory McMillan, superintendent of Clare Pubic Schools.

Region 5 presented its award to Julie Jowett-Lee. Julie Jowett-Lee is the school social worker at Yale Public Schools, where she won recognition for her development of a community charity that assists students and families in the Yale community throughout the year. “Julie has dedicated herself to this program that is affectionately referred to as 'Julie's Kids.' She is a true Champion for Children.”
- Frank Johnson, superintendent of Yale Public schools.

Region 6 presented its award to Jackie Hurd, Bruce Burger, and John Hagel. Jackie Hurd, Bruce Burger, and John Hagel are the superintendents at Perry Public Schools, Morrice Area Schools and Shiawasee RESD (respectively), where they won recognition for their outstanding work around the the effort to consolidate the Morrice and Perry school districts. “Despite the ultimate defeat of the measure by the voters, these three education leaders conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism in a situation that demanded swift action through uncharted territory. Throughout it all, they remained 'Champions for Children.’”
- Dr. William L. DeFrance, MASA Region 6 president

Region 7 presented its award to Claudia Britigan. Claudia Britigan is the PTO President at Parchment Middle School, where she won recognition for her active involvement not only at the middle school but in the entire Parchment School District. “Claudia has been an integral part of how we do business here at Parchment Middle School. Her involvement has enriched the lives of every student in this building. Her level of participation sets a standard for service to others. …The best part is that Claudia does all this with a cheerful heart and smile.”
- George Stamas. Parchment Middle School Principal.

Region 8 presented its award to Delight Creech. Delight Creech is the Communities in Schools Coordinator at Hudson Area Schools, where she won recognition for her many contributions to the community of Hudson and to the greater Lenawee County community. “If it has to do with people, Delight Creech is there. Delight is truly deserving of being named a Champion for Children.”
- Kathryn Malnar, superintendent of Hudson Area Schools

Region 9 presented its award to Steve Hyer. Steve Hyer is the School Board president at Clarkton Public Schools, where he won recognition for his commitment to the Clarkston Community Schools district as a board member, mentor, and advocate for education. "Steve Hyer takes his role very seriously, and we are proud to announce him as our region's Champion for Children."
–MASA Region 9 president, Richard Repicky .

Congratulations to all of this year’s regional Champion for Children recipients, and thank you for your tremendous effort and dedication to enriching the lives of our children and the community as a whole. Your contributions and leadership have enhanced children’s opportunities for success and achievement.

Howard Hyde recognized for Responsible Thinking Process program

At this year’s MASA Distinguished Administrators’ Luncheon, 13 new MASA members were inducted into the Winners’ Circle. These members were honored by the Membership Services Committee for initiating a unique, successful program or implementing an innovative idea that has had a significant, positive impact on their school districts that can be used by other districts across the state. This year’s inductees include:

Howard Hyde, Evart Public Schools, Region 3

Responsible Thinking Process

The Responsible Thinking Process or RTP, founded by Arizona’s Dr. Ed Ford, has been transforming the Evart Public School system for over ten years. All K-12 staff, teachers, administrators, and students have been trained in the Responsible Thinking Process to great success. Staff and students work together to improve the learning environment. When students choose to go to the RTP room, they must complete a plan of improvement and renegotiate their way back into the classroom. This teaches students about the democratic process of choices, consequences, communications, negotiations, and consistency. Mr. Hyde has been a consistent advocate for the RTP program through economic downturns, retirements of staff, and the changeover of administration and Board members. The commitment to RTP has solidified a successful program that is in-grained throughout the system. Evart Schools has hosted the Responsible Thinking Process Summer Conference for the state of Michigan for the past three years. This program has “transformed” the Evart Public Schools. Student surveys have pointed to an overwhelming appreciation and an increase of mutual respect between students and staff. Gross misconduct behavior has been virtually eliminated throughout the district. When students are empowered to be in charge of their own behavior, attitudes and actions change. Now teachers can teach, students can learn, and administrators can spend time in the classrooms throughout the district.

Contact Howard Hyde at 517.852.9699 or hydeh@evart.k12.mi.us

Faber wins one for the road

Congratulations to MASA member Gary Faber from West Bloomfield Schools. Faber received the 2008 Dr. Seymour Gretchko Youth Advocate Award in May at Greater West Bloomfield Michigan Week Awards Breakfast. Faber, who will retire in July, replaced Gretchko as superintendent in 2002.

“He’s a phenomenal man and very fitting to replace Dr. Gretchko who was so well-loved,” said Cameron Thomas-Shah, last year’s Gretchko award winner and 2007 West Bloomfield High School graduate. “If I had a problem, (Faber) was the person I went to. He’s very deserving of this award.”

Faber started his career in West Bloomfield Schools in 1983 and has served as high school principal and deputy superintendent. He has received many honors including Principal of the Year for the sate in 1992 and Superintendent of the Year for Region 9 in 2006-07.

“Our district has faced some difficult times for a while but when things get difficult you have to be more aggressive to raise the spirits of the community,” said Faber, referring to budget issues. “I’m very proud of the faculty and staff who have worked so hard to positively impact the children, parents and the community as whole. We stood forward and faced the wind and always made what we believed was the right decision for children.”

Other groups and individuals were also recognized for their volunteer efforts and community service.

“We are fortunate to live with such wonderful givers and volunteers as those recognized today,” said Debbie Macon, of the awards committee. “Our entire community is fortunate so many of them choose to live in Greater West Bloomfield.”
The Friendship Circle in West Bloomfield received the Gretchko award for an organization. The Friendship Circle is a nonprofit organization that supports and provides programs for children and families with special needs.

Source: West Bloomfield Eccentric, 5. 19.08

Michigan State Board of Ed accepting feedback on revised standards for teachers

At its May 13, 2008 meeting, the State Board of Education unanimously approved revised professional standards for Michigan’s teachers that outline the skills and knowledge that teachers in Michigan should have when they enter the profession and expectations for continued professional growth. The standards were created by the Professional Standard Commission for Teachers and put out for public review prior to the Board’s approval.

The Board unanimously approved revisions to teacher standards for the Educational Technology endorsement to teachers’ licenses. The revisions align the license endorsement with the new high school graduation requirement for all students to have at least one on-line learning experience. The new standards will require new and experienced teachers who earn this endorsement to successfully complete collaborative on-line learning experiences and demonstrate an understanding of, and the ability to create, an on-line learning experience, and demonstrate continued growth in technology operations and concepts for teaching and learning in on-line environments.

Changes pending in reporting Free and Reduced eligibility

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in coordination with the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), will be initiating changes in the way Local Education Agencies (LEAs) report Free Meal/Milk Program or Reduced Price Meal Program eligibility data.

Carol Wolenberg, MDE Deputy Superintendent, sent a memo to superintendents and business officials May 13 to alert districts that reporting procedures will change beginning in October 2008. The change in reporting free and reduced eligibility is intended to provide a single source of data that impacts such important programs as Adequate Yearly Progress (subgroup identification of economically disadvantaged students), eligibility for a district’s E-Rate Program, Section 31a of the State School Aid Act, and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act.

Previously, this data was collected from two separate sources: October reimbursement claims from the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) and Field 31, supplemental nutrition eligibility in the Single Record Student Database (SRSD). The new process will not replace the CNP claim structure for districts that participate in CNP.

Free and Reduced data collection changes will include:

• The SRSD will not be used to collect Field 31, Supplemental Nutrition Eligibility.
• The State’s new Student Data System will be used for a separate submission as of October 31, 2008.
• The Free and Reduced Eligibility data collection will open on or about October 1, 2008, and will close on November 15, 2008.

Over the next few months, CEPI and MDE will send additional information via e-mail regarding the new application, training, and changes in the reporting of Free and Reduced Eligibility data.

If you have questions, the CEPI contact is Meghann Omo at 517.241.2689 or omom@michigan.gov; the MDE contact is Dawn Harris at 517.373.4335 or harrisd6@michigan.gov.

Free Advanced Placement Tests

To increase access to Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests for low-income students, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has applied for and received a federal grant to pay for the AP test fees of qualified students.

To determine student eligibility, any of the following criteria may be used:

• The student is eligible for or receiving free or reduced price lunch;
• The student’s family receives assistance under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act;
• The student is eligible to receive medical assistance under the Federal Medicaid program;
• The student is a member of a family whose taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150% of the poverty level as established by the U.S. Census Bureau.

To have AP test fees paid for by the grant, the following actions must be taken:

• Review and identify all eligible students for free tests;
• Fill in the “Option 1” oval on qualifying students’ AP Exam answer sheets;
• In the Remittance section of the AP Shipping & Remittance form, enter the total number of exams (not students) that qualify for the fee reduction;
• AP Coordinators in Michigan will not collect AP Exam fees from students qualifying for a free exam.

Questions can be directed to Sam Sinicropi at 517.241.1162 or SinicropiS@michigan.gov.

Michigan School Breakfast Challenge

Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan has challenged all superintendents to increase school breakfast participation in their districts by 50%. The 2007-2008 School Breakfast Program Average Daily Participation

(ADP) will be compared to the 2008-2009 ADP for all school districts. The Michigan Department of Education will announce the winner of the challenge during the 2009-2010 school year. Research shows that students who eat breakfast score better on standardized tests, improve academic achievement, have fewer health issues, and behave better in class. According to the Michigan Department of Education Pupil Accounting Manual , local school districts can provide breakfast to students during the first class period and count this time toward the minimum instructional hour requirement if pupils and certificated teachers are present and engaged in instruction. For more information, see the Michigan School Breakfast memo.

Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Program - Elementary Cycle

The Michigan Department of Education has announced the 2008-2009 Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools Program (elementary cycle). This award program is open to both public and private schools that meet extremely high standards and undergo a rigorous peer review. In order to qualify, public schools selected for the “Exemplary School” award must also earn either an A or B under Education Yes! and have achieved AYP for the school year ending 2007-2008.

There are two very good reasons why a school building should consider this process:

• Self-reflection: Research in the area of school improvement has shown that schools with a common vision are successful in increasing student achievement. The Blue Ribbon process is very effective in assisting schools to focus their efforts and vision.
• Recognition: The program is designed to provide program analysis, a peer review, and an on-site visitation at no additional external cost to the district. Furthermore, selected school buildings receive state recognition for their efforts.

For more information, visit the Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools Program website.

Standardized formula for graduation rates may soon pair with tests

A Bush administration proposal to require that all states use the same formula to calculate high school graduation rates is winning applause from education experts who say it will shed light on the nation's dropout problem. The proposed regulation is among several the U.S. DOE administration introduced in April. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said she is using regulatory power to tweak the No Child Left Behind law because efforts in Congress to overhaul it have stalled.

The 2002 law requires schools and states to report graduation rates, but states have been criticized for understating the number of students who don't receive a diploma. Former West Virginia governor Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, said a uniform formula would give parents, educators and policymakers a better picture of student performance.

The proposal, likely to take effect by year's end, would require all states by 2013 to use a formula the nation's governors endorsed in 2005. High schools, school systems and states would be required to make progress toward a state-determined graduation rate goal. The graduation rate among subsets of students — including those in poverty, ethnic minorities and those with disabilities — also would have to improve.

Spellings would also require states to:

• Post the performance of students on national reading and math tests alongside state test scores;
• Prove that the data they use to rate school performance do not exclude too many test scores from students who belong to minority groups; and
• Ensure that plans to restructure chronically low-performing schools are sufficiently rigorous and comprehensive.

The rules would also require schools to give parents better information about a key requirement of the law: access to government-funded tutoring or the chance to transfer to a school with better test scores. Final regulations are expected to be published in November after a public comment period.

Who advises the presidential candidates on education?

Clinton
President of the American Federation of Teachers Edward McElroy and his union have endorsed Clinton. Rudy Crew, superintendent of schools in Miami-Dade County, has a record of improving urban school systems. Co-director Andrew Rotherham of the Education Sector think tank (who has also advised Obama) led the White House Domestic Policy Council education team under President Clinton.

Obama
Linda Darling-Hammond is founder of the School Redesign Network. Obama's campaign team also includes Michael Johnston, cofounder of New Leaders for New Schools, which recruits, trains, and places urban school leaders. Christopher Edley, the law school dean at uc-Berkeley, is a member of the independent commission that issued recommendations last year for reforming the No Child Left Behind law.

McCain
Longtime McCain adviser Lisa Graham Keegan served as Arizona's superintendent of public instruction. McCain's education policy coordinator, David Crane, served as senior policy adviser to Sen. Trent Lott, for whom he managed Senate negotiations on No Child Left Behind. Phil Handy, the former chairman of the Florida Board of Education under Gov. Jeb Bush, helps craft McCain's education policy. 

Source: U.S. News and World Report, 5.8.08

It's time we put some responsibility back on the students

I just read [that] 7,000 high-school students drop out of school every day, at a cost to society of $209,000 per student over their lifetimes.

"Between 20 percent and 42 percent of graduates require some remedial coursework before moving on to college-level work, and 60 percent of manufacturers say recent entry-level hires were unprepared for the work they were hired to do. The question facing educators and business leaders is: What can be done to reverse this trend?"

Well, I know one thing we can do.

Let's put some responsibility back on the student.

See, what we seem to forget is that it's all there for the taking. If you want an education in this country, you can have it. The information, textbooks, workbooks, journals, reference books, videos, technology and lab equipment are available, to one degree or another, in every single school. …

Even the poorest schools are full of information, and people who are ready, willing, and able--aching, actually--to teach a student who wants to learn. It makes teachers nearly weep with frustration to see bright, capable, talented children slide lazily along, refusing to partake of the bounty of knowledge that is offered to them. …

I'm fed up with the steady drumbeat from partisan groups that continuously, relentlessly, incorrectly, and nauseatingly bash the public school system in America , as if educators are solely to blame for low test scores. …Whether it's an allowance or a grade, kids need to know that they have to work for what they want.

Education reformers rant that the public school system needs to "improve outcomes." Well, how about improving input? How about sending us some students who are eager to learn so that we don't have to force-feed them? It's about time we tell the kids in this country: get your butts to school, sit down, be quiet, do your work, quit whining, and make your parents proud.

Read the full column…

Source: The Flint Journal Commentary by Kelly Flynn, May 24, 2008

Lawmaker proposes alternative curriculum

Lawmakers must act on implementing an alternative curriculum that includes vocational educational skills in order for the state to not experience a significant increase in the high school dropout rate, Rep. Joel Sheltrown (D-West Branch) said Wednesday during a taping of Michigan Public Television's "Off the Record."

In promoting his HB 5943, Mr. Sheltrown said he is still in the stages of getting his "ducks in a row" for the full Education Committee to take a look at the measure, but it is a part of the High School Alternatives Subcommittee review.  

While Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Flanagan has urged lawmakers not to water down the high school graduation standards, saying that all students should have a chance to achieve the goals set forth in the law, Mr. Sheltrown said lawmakers can't expect all students to fit into a cookie-cutter education model.

He said an expected increase in drop out rates and students reportedly struggling with Algebra I makes his bill more likely to pass than simply delaying the standards for a later freshman class. He said his bill doesn't water down the standards because it does include stringent vocational education curriculum, as well as other general curriculum courses.

Source: Gongwer News Service, 5.28.08

"Leadership Lite" seeks humorous contributions

The School Administrator magazine publish es a back-page humor column called "Leadership Lite," and the editors are eager to solicit stories from superintendents and other administrators for possible use in 2008-09.

What the magazine is seeking are short, humorous or offbeat anecdotes (that generally can be told in no more than four or five paragraphs) that relate to some telling aspect of life in educational administration or the day-to-day work in a school district. Anecdotes should be based on the contributor's own experience — something you’ve seen or heard or that’s been shared by a colleague — in a school setting, administrative office, school board meeting, educational administration course, etc.

Bad tenured teachers tough to dismiss

More than half of teachers believe it's too difficult to weed out ineffective teachers who have tenure, and nearly half say they personally know such a teacher, according to a survey released by the Education Sector, a nonpartisan think tank.

"Even in the best schools, you'll find one teacher who probably shouldn't there. It takes a lot for a principal to get rid of a teacher," Sabrina Silverstein, a Chicago pre-kindergarten teacher said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Most teachers think the evaluation process for new teachers should be strengthened, so that weak teachers don't become entrenched. About 70 percent of teachers in the Education Sector survey said receiving tenure was just a formality that has little to do with teacher quality.

Only a quarter said their own most recent evaluation was "useful and effective."

Teachers are generally observed in class one or two times a year by busy administrators. In many districts, tenured teachers aren't observed annually.

Even when they occur, teachers say their evaluations are rarely rigorous.

A study of Chicago public schools last year found that more than 90 percent of teachers received one of the top two possible evaluation ratings — superior or excellent. Hardly any received the bottom two ratings — satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

Principals said they thought it was pointless to give critical judgments of tenured teachers. They also said they didn't want to deal with the grievance process that often accompanies poor evaluations, according to the report by the New Teacher Project, a nonprofit focused on teacher quality.

The role of principals has to change if evaluations are to be improved, said Harvey Polansky, the school superintendent in Milford, Conn.

"Our principals must be instructional leaders rather than managers," he said in an interview. "Find someone else to deal with school lunches."

High school principal Jill Martin, of Colorado Springs, Colo., agrees. "There isn't adequate time to observe and really understand the full picture of what's happening in any given teacher's classroom," Martin said.

She and other administrators in her district have tried to address the problem by conducting regular classroom "walkthroughs" in which they randomly drop in on teachers for a few minutes at a time and offer feedback.

"Management by walking around is what you'd call it in the business world," she said.

In recent years, some educators have been looking to Toledo , Ohio — a district served by about 2,000 teachers — for ideas on how to make evaluations meaningful. There, experienced teachers evaluate first-year teachers and also help determine the fate of seasoned teachers who get poor reviews from their principals.

Dal Lawrence, a past president of the teacher's association there, said since the program was put in place in 1981, approximately 450 teachers have been dismissed following bad evaluations. Most were non-tenured teachers, but just under 100 had tenure, Lawrence said.

Lawrence said that is a higher dismissal rate than can be found in most other districts.

About 1,000 teachers nationwide responded to the survey conducted by mail late last year for the Education Sector by the Farkas Duffett Research Group, a nonpartisan public opinion research company. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The survey, which follows one conducted in 2003, also showed union support among new teachers has grown.

A little more than half of teachers surveyed this time said unions were "absolutely essential" compared with about one-third last time.

Andrew Rotherham, co-director of Education Sector, said teachers are under increased pressure to boost kids' test scores because of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

It mandates that schools meet testing benchmarks or face consequences such as having to offer tutoring or replace staff.

Rotherham said the teachers unions have capitalized on educators' concerns about the law and rallied against it. "They're benefiting from the fact that there is a fair amount of uncertainty out there," he said.

Read more: www.clickondetroit.com/education/16185084/detail.html

Read the survey report: www.educationsector.org/research/research_show.htm?doc_id=683708

Source: Detroit WDIV (CH 4), 05/08/08

Michigan Reading First is making a difference

The Institute for Educational Sciences has released an interim report on the impact of the Reading First program which provides assistance to states and districts in using research-based reading programs and instructional materials in order to increase the number of students that read at or above grade level by the end of third grade.

Using 18 study sites, the report found that Reading First did not significantly impact student reading comprehension test scores in first through third grade. However, the Michigan Reading First program shows positive results. In 2002, when Michigan received the first Reading First grant, the average reading proficiency of recipient schools was 19%. As of 2007, the average reading proficiency of recipient schools increased to 36%. Mark Coscarella , Michigan Department of Education Reading First

Manager, explained that Michigan Reading First facilitators have a five-to-one case load while many states provide one facilitator for as many as 30 schools.

Also, MDE’s Jan Ellis explained that the Institute measures improvement differently from the state. As opposed to studying a two-year period, Michigan studies evaluate the program over a longer period of time. The current federal budget proposal would cut 61% from the Reading First grant program, which amounts to a decrease of about $18 million for Michigan . The funding cut would decrease the number of Michigan schools receiving Reading First grants from 158 to approximately 100.

Source: MDE, Office of School Improvement

• New online courses focus on the Michigan Merit Curriculum
• Michigan After-school Collaborative (MAC) Summer Summit
  May 30, Holiday Inn West, Lansing
• Michigan Small & Rural Schools Conference
  June 19, Mt. Pleasant
• Making Integrated Education Work for Everyone: Bringing It All Together
  June 25, Holt High School

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