An email sent by a Walled Lake Consolidated School District administrator to parents claimed that a series of bills pending in Lansing designed to allow parents more public education options “will further erode the funding for public schools in Michigan.” Except, the bills have nothing to do with funding of schools, says Michael Van Beek, education policy director for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
The email was sent by Judy Evola, the director of community relations for the school district. Evola didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.
The bills referred to in Evola's email were Senate Bills 618, 619, 620, 621 and 624. Among other reform measures, they would lift the cap on the number of charter schools and cyber schools.
Charter schools and cyber schools are public schools, Van Beek said. The money would just follow the students from one public school to another.
“This is an inaccurate representation, because these bills have virtually no impact on overall public school funding,” Van Beek said in an email. “The bills’ primary purpose is to empower parents with more public school options and remove regulations on districts that make it difficult for them to innovate. It’s true districts that refuse to innovate and compete with these new public school options could face significant challenges, especially if parents in their districts start to opt for better options elsewhere. This district appears to be trying to protect its turf by ginning up opposition based on a false representation of this legislation.”
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See also:
Walled Lake Teacher Contract Analysis
Commentary: Research Shows Parental Choice Works
The Republicans Who
Blocked Charter School Choice
Recall Retaliation?
Senate Pushes Charter School Cap Repeal & 'Union-Unfriendly' Reforms
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.