A new report from The Education Trust-Midwest finds that 99.6 percent of teachers from 10 of Michigan’s largest school districts were rated “effective.” Coincidentally, 98 percent of the principals responsible for these evaluations received the same rating.

In related news, MLive.com recently found that 68 percent of all grades handed out at the colleges where these teachers and principals are trained were A’s. Like the mythical Lake Wobegon, where all the children are above average, apparently so are Michigan public school teachers and principals.

Unfortunately, real-life student performance paints a very different picture. For example, if we compare the performance of Michigan’s low-income students to ones with similar demographics in other states, the picture suggests something less than 99 percent "effective":

According to student performance measured by the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (often called "the nation's report card"), 45 states were more "effective" than Michigan at teaching 4th grade math; 35 outperformed us on 4th grade reading; 43 in 8th grade math; and 26 in 8th grade reading. Focusing on just low-income students helps provide an "apples-to-apples" comparison across states by limiting the impact of overall socioeconomic differences between them.

Those off-key educator "effectiveness" ratings have been variously attributed to the weak standards and lack of rigor at teacher preparation schools, the unwillingness of school administrators to provide meaningful feedback, bitter opposition from teachers unions to any meaningful evaluation systems (and co-opting them when they are enacted), and more.

These are just symptoms, however. The real root of the problems plaguing public education is monopoly privilege.

Because children whose parents can't afford a private school are forced by law to attend the nearest public school (or in Michigan, another public school willing and able to enroll them), these schools get funded regardless of how well they perform or please their customers — the parents and students.

Even when state laws (and union power) don't stand in the way of reform, monopolistic privilege weakens the incentives for school officials to only employ the best teachers money can buy. In short, a guaranteed stream of taxpayer money flows into public schools whether they are world-class exemplars or decrepit basket cases.

So in spite of state requirements that schools evaluate teachers, officials in the public school monopoly find it much easier to just rubber stamp a teacher's evaluation and move on to the next one.

A similar situation applies to the 34 state-approved teacher preparation programs. While there is a slight amount of competition among the colleges and universities that run them, they face no real consequences for churning out teachers who are inadequately prepared to actually help kids learn.

The real solution is to break the monopoly with a vast expansion of school choice for parents, because the incentive-changing effects of genuine competition will always be more effective than just adding additional layers of bureaucratic procedures or mandates.

Pending that revolution, however, an honest evaluation system would help teachers in at least three critical ways: 1) It identifies ways they can improve; 2) It signals whether they should seek promotion or leadership positions; and 3) It provides career guidance for those who in reality should just pursue a different career.

Under legislation enacted in 2011, a plan is underway in Michigan that may improve future evaluations. By 2015-2016, 50 percent of teacher and principal evaluations must be based on student achievement and learning growth. Of course, if the monopoly also generates Lake Wobegon-type student assessments, then the plan will be as meaningless as the current program.

The only way to effectively end these "whack-a-mole" evaluation failures is by creating a genuine educational marketplace where the customers are in charge through parental choice.  

Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting

Senate Bill 1259, Increase licensure fees: Passed 33 to 5 in the Senate
To increase fees imposed on a wide range of businesses and occupations in which registration or licensure mandates are imposed as a condition of operating the firm or earning a living in the profession. This is one of a number of such bills passed by the House and Senate this week, which technically repeal the sunsets of previously enacted “temporary” fee increase laws, and are related to the budget for the next fiscal year. According to the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, the bills would extract $15 to $20 million annually from business owners and tradesmen.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4934, Require school Pledge of Allegiance recitation: Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate
To require classes in public schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance each day. The bill would prohibit compelling a student to recite the pledge. The Senate has also passed Senate Bill 637, to require a flag in each classroom.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5400, Appropriate money for fruit grower loan subsidies: Passed 103 to 2 in the House
To appropriate a $15 million for low-interest loan subsidies for fruit growers and producers who suffered extensive crop damage in 2012 due to an extended March warm spell followed by a hard freeze.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5617, Expand state home improvement loan subsidy program: Passed 82 to 22 in the House
To expand the authority of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to provide government loan guarantees on home improvement loans to individuals with “low and moderate income.” Specifically, the bill would increase the family income cap for such loans to 175 percent of the statewide median gross income ($105,700), up from the current cap of $65,000 (or $74,750 in a designated “distressed area), and allow for a 30-year repayment period instead of 20 years.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5697, Establish athlete concussion “time out” criteria: Passed 104 to 1 in the House
To require coaches or other adults in charge to remove a student or young athlete from participation in a sports activity due to a suspected concussion until clearance is received from an "appropriate health professional." The bill would also require schools and youth sports associations to distribute specified educational materials about concussions to coaches, young athletes and parents, and require parents and athletes to sign a statement indicating they have read them. The bill would not apply to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), which has separate concussion guidelines.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 797, Cap municipal pension board travel expenses and more: Passed 104 to 1 in the House
To cap municipal and state pension board spending on board members' travel and training expenses at $150,000 per year, and $30,000 maximum per board member. The bill also proposes specific pension system transparency requirements; restricts payments to service providers who made large political contributions; increases limits on how much can be invested in real estate, "private equity" and global equities; establishes other regulations on investment service providers; and more.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5818, Increase licensure fees: Passed 88 to 16 in the House.
To increase fees imposed on a wide range of businesses and occupations in which registration or licensure mandates are imposed as a condition of operating the firm or earning a living in the profession. This is one of a number of such bills passed by the House and Senate this week, which technically repeal the sunsets of previously enacted “temporary” fee increase laws, and are related to the budget for the next fiscal year. According to the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, the bills would extract $15 to $20 million annually from business owners and tradesmen.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.