Public school teacher salaries have dropped 8 percent from 1999-00 to 2012-13 when factoring in inflation, according to an MLive story.

However, the data released by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics includes charter public school teachers’ salaries, which are considerably lower than conventional public school teachers, and doesn’t mention a recent exodus of the state’s oldest — and highest paid — teachers.

The article stated: “When converted to 2013 dollars, Michigan teachers were earning an average $67,148 in 1999-2000, compared to an actual average for 2012-2013 of $61,560.”

Here’s a closer look at the salary data.

Teachers in conventional public schools have their salaries determined by their union in negotiations with school boards that use a salary schedule based on years of service and level of education.

For example, in the fall of 2005, a teacher with a bachelor’s degree just starting out in the Warren Consolidated School District made $41,240, according to the union contract. That same teacher in the fall of 2012 would have earned $66,735, a $25,495 increase over seven years.

The data also includes charter public school salaries, said David Thomas, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education. The average salary for a charter public school teacher was $42,864 in 2011-12 and the average salary for conventional school teachers was $63,094. 

Charter public school teachers makes less in part because they don’t have as many years of experience as their conventional school district colleagues, said Gary Naeyaert, executive director of the Great Lakes Education Project.

There also are more charter public school teachers today than in years past, which also affects salary data. In 1999-2000, there were 173 charter schools. That number increased to 276 charter schools in 2012-13.

Also, there were several thousand less of the state’s oldest — and highest paid — teachers in 2012 than in 1999, according to the state of Michigan.

In 2006 (as far back as the state of Michigan data goes), 33 percent of the state’s 111,705 teachers were 50 years old or older. By 2012, 28 percent of the state’s 102,208 teachers were 50 and older. Many of the highest paid teachers in their district had left. In 2010, the state offered an early retirement package to teachers.

At the same time, 2000 to 2010 often is referred to as the "lost decade” in Michigan. The median family income in Michigan in 2000 was $44,667, which would have been $59,554 in 2012 dollars. The actual median family income in 2012 was $46,859, which is a 21.3 decrease compared to 2000 when factoring in inflation.

“Because of the changing composition of public education, using an average of teacher salaries does not provide any information on whether any individual teacher has taken any pay cuts,” said James Hohman, a fiscal policy analyst with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “Even so, Michigan’s schools were comparatively protected as the state economy struggled from 2000 to 2009.”

Nearly 100,000 students use Michigan’s “Schools of Choice” program, but are they and their parents really making good choices? Should the program be expanded or should students be forced to only attend the school in their neighborhood?

A new study looks at how many students are taking advantage of school choice and shows that they are making good academic choices.

Schools of Choice was established in Michigan in 1996. It provides an opportunity for students to attend conventional schools, even if they live outside of the school’s boundary. Districts are allowed to not accept students, but they are not able to prevent students from leaving and taking the state aid fund money with them.

Today, about 7 percent of Michigan’s public school students use the program to attend a school outside of the district where they live, according to a study by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. The study, "The Public School Market In Michigan: An Analysis of Schools of Choice," shows that schools of choice enrollment growth has increased 144 percent in the past decade.

And students and parents are making good educational choices, said Audrey Spalding, director of education policy at the Mackinac Center and the author of the report.

"Parents and their children are choosing districts with higher graduation rates, higher test scores and lower dropout rates — a positive sign," Spalding said.

Schools of Choice used to be predominantly used by students in rural districts, probably because the schools are spread out and many families lived closer to a school separate from the one they were drawn to attend. But the program now is more widespread.

“Only a handful of districts this past year didn't have a student leave for another district, showing that there really is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ district out there,” Spalding said.

The study also looked at participation among districts and tracked where students were coming and going. The big winners for students were Clintondale, Oak Park and West Bloomfield. Those were the top three of the 15 districts that added at least 1,000 students through the program. Nearly 70 percent of Clintondale’s 3,715 students were schools of choice students.

On the other hand, Detroit, Lansing and East Detroit were the leaders among the 16 districts that lost at least 1,000 pupils. Mount Clemens had 1,020 students leave the district, almost 45 percent of their total student population.

The study recommends the state expand the program. Currently, there are geographic limitations on Schools of Choice. Students may only attend a school in the same Intermediate School District or one that borders theirs. As online education and other programs arise, this limits many students who could attend a district that offers online programs.

The study also recommends allowing conventional school districts to innovate by opening schools outside of their borders. Berrien Springs is one example of a district that has looked beyond its geographic borders to serve alternative education students.

If the state allowed districts the freedom to open up schools outside of their borders, districts could adapt to Michigan's changing educational landscape and better serve students.