“In every way we are trying to fund the means to double the number of college graduates,” Gov. Jennifer Granholm said at an education summit this week. “There should be no excuses left for kids who might not otherwise be able to afford it.”
The latest effort to boost college accessibility is the naming of 10 Promise Zones this week in which students will be able to earn college scholarships through a mix of future tax growth and private donations. Modeled after the Kalamazoo Promise, the new Promise Zone communities include Baldwin Community Schools, Battle Creek Public Schools, Benton Harbor Area Schools, the City of Detroit, the School District of the City of Hazel Park, Jackson Public Schools, the Lansing School District, the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, the School District of the City of Pontiac, and the Saginaw School District.
At the same time, two other new initiatives aim to help get students into college and get them Michigan jobs once they’re finished. The “Michigan College Access Network” is scheduled to launch by fall and include a one-stop shop for applications, financial aid and other tools needed to get into Michigan colleges. And, the Detroit Regional Chamber and West Michigan Strategic Alliance have launced “InterninMichigan.com” to link jobs providers with talented college students.
At the same time, budget woes are intensifying reform discussions in universities and in local school systems. The national Public Agenda think tank released a new report this week suggesting that university financial officers see room for greater efficiency on campuses while faculty members fear an erosion in quality. (For a glimpse of how this plays out in Michigan, check out the University of Michigan’s strategies for finding $55 million in efficiencies in recent years. Note: the U. is moving faster than state government in assuring health care benefits and co-pays reflect private sector trends.)
At the public school level, Michigan state schools superintendent Mike Flanagan is talking turkey to administrators and teachers alike, as evidenced by his comments at an education summit this week. As quoted by Gongwer:
Acting on the Center for Michigan’s “School Daze” report about Michigan’s shrinking school year, Flanagan recently led a state board of education call to return to a 180-day school calendar. The state House has passed language calling for districts to hold classes 170 days or more per year (which would cause more than a third to Michigan districts to boost instructional days). The Senate also is studying the issue. But south of our border, Ohio is considering going much further — leaders are debating whether to force local schools to offer 200 days of classes in an effort to assure Ohio’s students can compete globally.
Finally, freshman state Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton writes in (as all legislators of both parties are encouraged to do) with an idea to invest stimulus money to pay for switching teachers from pensions to 401k-styled retirement plans….
As an elected official of the great state of Michigan, it is my job to ensure that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars being sent to the state from the federal government are spent wisely and responsibly which will ensure 1) job creation; 2) economic recovery which will be sustainable and realistic; and 3) reform Michigan’s government to make us a better state in which to live, work, and play.
In these difficult economic times, I believe everyone needs to make some tough choices and “enter the real world”. According to projections, it would cost the state of Michigan $200 million to make the initial switch from a state pension for school employee’s retirement to a 401(k) plan.
With the federal government giving the state billions of dollars in stimulus money, I strongly believe that we should use that money to fund long term solutions, such as this imperative and necessary change. This reform is vital to the stabilization of our state budget and our local school districts. For far too long the state of Michigan has avoided making this responsible transformation, and the result has been apparent in our endless struggle to fund our children’s education. The Michigan Legislature has been resistant to making this necessary reform in the past because of the massive short term hole it would create in our state budget, even though the long term benefits are undeniable. The federal stimulus allocation has given the state of Michigan an extraordinary opportunity to take action on this important piece of legislation. If we make this change now, the future of public education instantly creates opportunity for future teachers, sustainable funding for public education, and a brighter future for our children and generations to come.
I believe defined benefit retirement plans have plagued the state and local school districts for many years because of their extraordinarily high legacy cost. In the late 1990’s, state employees made this much needed transfer and the result proved to be fiscally responsible and cost effective, both to employees and the state. 401(k) retirement plans provide employees with control for their own retirement planning goals, which has been particularly desired by state employees. As you know, Michigan is not in a position to guarantee any employee a particular number in terms of retirement. This is a prime opportunity for the state of Michigan to make this desperately needed reform that would allow us to prosper and provide scarce state dollars for our children’s classrooms.
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So, the Governor wants to double the number of college graduates? Since there’s already roughly 23-25 percent of Michiganders (over the age of 25 – http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/p20-536/tab13.pdf) who are already college grads many of whom are un- or under-employed, while still more are employed in positions which simply are not college level job. Seriously, someone should do the math on that one dream. Michigan is in no position right to now nor will it be anytime soon to sustain that kind of vision. Maybe that’s why one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the state is post-secondary education. “Go to college in Michigan … it’ll put your friends and neighbors to work!” For more on the balancing act between college graduates and employment projections: http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2000/fall/art01.pdf
Tough Questions in Education?
None have been asked yet!
Learn this lesson folks, the current “business model” in manufacturing, finance, and in legislative processes does not work.
Our current education model doesn’t work either – thirty percent drop out, thirty percent are indifferent and the remaining thirty percent get good grades, exhibit model behavior and grow up to be teachers or university professors. Maybe. Since only 23% of Michigan residents have undergraduate degrees that last statement is pretty optimistic. Maybe this reflects 7% who were drugged in some way so they could be “educated”, and once they got off the drugs just gave up – that is if they weren’t addicted or brain damaged.
Education suffers from “groupthink” and “follow blindly disease”. A 19th Century industrial model as a pattern for education has not worked for more than seventy years yet we, the so called leaders in our communities, continue to go after the usual suspects to attempt improvement in education. (Work harder and longer to higher standards and more rigor in content. Test efficiently using theories and practices rooted in psuedo science and eugenics, etc. etc. etc.)
Changing pension plans is a one time hit that will exhibit the same problems we have today in several years. We should be asking why (at least five times) the current process is not working, if that is really the case. Spending $200 million based upon an assumption that one financial bet is better than another financial bet .. didn’t we just go through this exercise, $700 billion times? This action will not do anything for classroom “reform.”
Its time that Mike Flanagan got some support from outside education to get rid of the linear, silo discipline manufacturing model used to provide a service called education.
Involve the children in defining the pathway for their K-12 learning journey.
Failure to engage in substantive change – letting go of the sanctity of your personal discipline, teachers – recognizing that reality in the learning process is the interdependence of all the silos (math is math; biology is biology; english is english, etc. and never the twain shall meet – This is wrong!) and working together, instead of in the safety of classroom isolation, is the change we need.
Where is the rule that says kids must be separated by age for learning to be effective – this belief is just that – a belief, a myth yet we stick to it like super glue. Why? It certainly makes the balance sheet look good and is orderly and all of that…
Where is it written that education is something adults do to children. Most kids can teach one another far better than any teacher. Give them a guide for their journey and have multidisciplinary mentors available when they ask for them. They will.
Start looking for and looking at processes that work and not just generate a score once or twice a year.
Otherwise you are just wasting your time.
You’re clearly not an educator are you Chuck?
I am a retired executive from the Aerospace industry who was college educated in Michigan (2 BS’s in Engineering and an MBA). For the last 10 years I have been involved with higher education, public education, work force development, and youth activities like Junior Achievement and FIRST Robotics. Much of this has been through Board membership including the largest Regional Higher Education Accreditation Commission. My observations strongly parallel those of Chuck Fellows about the “old” education delivery system. The old system and those who maintain and control it are focused on teaching, teachers, unions, facilities, research, tenture, etc. The focus must be on the students and learning to prepare them for a global future. Much like old models developed in Government and Industry are now failing (like the Detroit Auto Industry, State Government, Airlines, Shopping Malls, Newspapers, Traditional TV networks, etc). Mr Salisbury revealed the challenge when he asked …”you are not an educator”. Learning for the future is too important to leave in the hands of just Educators trained in the old model. Educators do not have the vision, open minds, and courage to lead the transformation (much like the executives of GM and Chrysler and union leaders can’t change their old model).
Impressive credentials.
Define “old model” please.