MIPFS Newsbriefs

UPDATE: 14 June. The state House of Representatives today passed a revised version of SB 1040, a bill that aims to restructure the public school employee retirement system. The changes in this compromise bill are less dramatic than those proposed in the Senate version, but they still represent a substantial change in retirement benefits for future employees and increased costs for current employees. While some financial pressure is being taken off local school districts, the added costs of the transition will still come out of the School Aid Fund. Absent other measures to increase revenues to the SAF, this bill will not remove the burden on the education budget in the near term.

However, the state Senate, which had approved a version forcing all new employees into a defined contribution plan, adjourned for their summer break today without voting on the bill. They resume session on 18 July.

In a sometimes contentious session, the House Education committee today passed legislation that would remove most limits on the number and size of online charter schools — called “cyber schools” in Michigan. The bill, Senate Bill 619, removes the restrictions set on the number and enrollment of cyber schools when they were first allowed in legislation passed two years ago. The bill, passed by the Senate last fall, faces an uncertain future in the House.

Friends,

There is still time to let your state Senator know that your support Michigan's public schools and oppose the changes embodied in Senate Bill 618. That bill, now on the Senate floor, would:

1. Remove any limits on the number of charter schools in Michigan;
2. Allow charter schools to operate a network of schools under one charter, setting up shadow school districts;
3. Permit school districts to contract-out instructional services (privatize teachers);
4. Remove any requirements that staff of district-authorized charters, or teachers employed under contract with an outside body, be covered by existing collective bargaining agreements;
5. Exempt charter school property from property taxes.

As you can see, this has less to do with improving the education of our children than it does with encouraging the growth of charter schools and the outsourcing of instruction.

Please take action now! Contact your state Senator about this bill!

> > Click here to read the full alert!

One of our local papers here in Ann Arbor, where MIPFS is based, ran a rather nice story about us recently. We wanted to share this with our broader community so everyone could get a sense of what we're about. Feel free to share! http://heritage.com/articles/2011/06/07/ann_arbor_journal/news/doc4de6c9...

*Parent group continues push for school funding* Tuesday, June 07, 2011 By Donna Iadipaolo, Special Writer When they began in early 2007, Michigan Parents for Schools called themselves "Ann Arbor Parents for Schools." Though still based in Ann Arbor, one of the primary aspects of MIPF's work remains focused on public school funding. "We started with the aim of ensuring an adequate and stable source of funding for public schools in Michigan," said MIPFS Executive Director Steve Norton, "and that is still one of our primary action areas." Much of MIPFS's work is online. They prompted many of their activists, who number several thousand across the state, to contact the governor and state Legislature about the School Aid budget. Now their efforts will continue on education....

For the full article, please visit the Ann Arbor Journal site here: http://heritage.com/articles/2011/06/07/ann_arbor_journal/news/doc4de6c9...