The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board discusses state funding for schools
New Pheonix logo presented to board
By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2008
State Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith appeared before the Ypsilanti Public Schools' Board of Education at last week's meeting to give a report of developments in education and educational funding at the state level.
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Smith began by saying she expects this to be an easier year than last, as the legislature is trying to get the budget done and policy issues set by the end of June. She added legislators are very cognizant that school districts begin their school years on the first of July.
Smith said it appeared the legislature is going to give the districts one percent less than Gov. Jennifer Granholm has recommended. She attributed this to January's forecasts being more optimistic than those of April, which show revenues will be below the January estimates.
She estimated this will mean $900,000 less to the Ypsilanti district than last year, if the Senate bill is adopted. The House is expected to have more information in May.
Overall, Smith said they are looking at a reduction of $150 million in foundation allowances to districts. This will mean an across the board reduction with proration. Programs like all-day kindergarten and preschool will be hard hit. She said lower tax collection at the local level influenced the decision.
"The economy is bad," she said, stressing the negative word. "The inflation rate is two percent. The legislature can't fund it. The formula being used goes to closing the equity gap among schools, but we're not there yet."
She said the legislature has looked at doing less for richer school districts, but those richer districts then complained that they, too, are not getting enough from the state.
"They're getting $12,000 per student and Ypsilanti is getting less than $8,000," she noted, "but they see that as fair."
She said the federal rebate to taxpayers would help fund schools only if "everyone spends it on retail purchases."
Smith was asked about charter schools and whether more would be approved for operation. She said while Gov. Granholm is in office no more than the 277 charter schools now in operation would be approved. She said research had not shown charter schools were sufficiently better to justify more of them.
"They do nothing more for the students and contribute to retirement problems later because those schools do not contribute to the state retirement funds for teachers and administrators," she said. "These people then end up relying more on Social Security, Medicare and other assistance programs."
Smith said she is personally opposed to charter schools. She would like to see more accountability from those facilities.
Smith then spoke about a bill in the Michigan House that would track home-schooled students through their local public schools. She noted the bill does not call for accountability or set the curriculum for home-schooling, but merely acts as a census of those children being home-schooled.
Smith also said she is proposing free tuition in higher education to jumpstart the economy. She noted the bill to have students stay in school until the age of 18 has passed the House and is in the Senate. She said there has been opposition from school administrators and teachers.
"We have a lot of work to do with our kids," she said. "Right now, they don't have hope. They are angry. Education is the way out."
Following Smith, Karen and Chas Moeller of Karen Moeller Design presented their proposal for the Phoenix logo. The company was contacted after art students at Ypsilanti High School failed to come up with an acceptable design. The proposed logo will next be presented to YHS students for their opinions and approval.
The issue of an audit of the district's financial records following the recent resignation of former CFO Alan Dowdy was discussed. Superintendent James Hawkins said the audit would be conducted by Plante & Moran, the firm that has done the district's auditing for years. He and interim CFO Kelli Glenn said the firm is familiar with the district's books.
When Trustee Andrew Fanta noted the recommendation by Peter Fletcher, a trustee of the board of Directors of the Ypsilanti Public School Foundation, to have an independent auditor review the books, both Hawkins and Glenn said such an independent audit would be an additional cost to the district.
Glenn was appointed interim treasurer of the board and trustee and risk management coordinator to the Middle Cities Risk Management Trust during the meeting. Other agenda items were deferred, due to the lateness of the hour.
Kathleen Conat is a longtime Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for The Courier. She can be reached through editor@ypsilanticourier.com.
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