Michigan Association of Charter School Boards

---------- MACSB Messages ------------

Legislative Requirements for Charter Board Members Elections

Vol. 4

June 26, 2008

No. 8

Thanks to all of you who took the opportunity to provide continuing input regarding proposals for election of charter board members.

Based on your input, and MACSB experiences, we have developed the following position statement on this issue.

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Regardless of specifics, the MACSB does not support any proposal that in any way dictates the membership makeup of charter boards.

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Rationale/comment: One of the principles underlying the charter/school choice movement was "less restriction/regulation of school operations". With limited exception, this principle has not held much sway in Michigan. Nonetheless, charter schools have already demonstrated that parental choice is a positive and clearly appreciated force in public education, and deserves a permanent and expanding future. (more...)

---------- News from the Department of Education ------------

Michigan Approved for Pilot Program to Measure Student Academic Growth

July 07, 2008

LANSING – Michigan is one of 10 states approved to participate in a national pilot program that will take into consideration a student’s yearly academic growth to help determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

The United States Department of Education (USED) approved Michigan’s application to participate in a Growth Model pilot in its continuous effort to adjust and improve the implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. (more...)




Membership is simple and the dues are really cheap! ONLY $300 plus $1 per student


So who is the MACSB and Why Would a Board Want to Join?



	Customized Training Brought to YOUR Door

	The friendly way to meet Your Board's unique/mandatory training needs So RELAX...and let us BRING the training YOU!
	Click here for further information, the Class List and On-Line Registration




	Waivers of Minimum Number of Hours of Pupil Instruction for Alternative Education Programs Year 2008-2009
	From: Sally Vaughn, Ph.D., Deputy Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer
	June 20, 2008

	The chapter in the State Aid Act, Section 101 (10), permits the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to waive the minimum number of hours of pupil instruction for Alternative Education programs. This waiver can only be granted for Alternative Education Programs and not for individual students. (more...)



	Announcement of 2008-09 Charter School Planning, Implementation and Dissemination Grant Opportunity
	From: Mike Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction
	June 17, 2008

	Be sure to check out item number 3 on the second page if you believe you have what it takes to mentor a newly proposed academy.
Click for the full document (PDF)



	Direct Certification of Children in Food Stamp Households for Free School Meals
	From: Carol Wolenberg, Deputy Superintendent
	June 12, 2008

	The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265), amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require direct certification. Each local educational agency (LEA) must directly certify children who are members of households receiving assistance under the Food Stamp Program as eligible for free school meals, without further application, based on information provided in an electronic data file from the Department of Human Services (DHS). (more...)


(Click the Bill Number for more info)
	HB5928 - Yet ANOTHER State level requirement
	03-21-2008: Not only have they decided that you must teach Phys Ed, it mandates that your put your requirement into a policy and send that policy to the State for review (and approval?).
	HB5911 - New requirements from the legislature
	03-20-2008: The legislature has decided that school must test pupils in reading. Not a bad idea...too bad they don't think students need testing in all subjects. We recommend that you have a base-line on all students as they enter your academy...regardless of their age. Not only important information for your teachers, but it should also be used to gage how well your academy is doing academically.
	HB4662 - This bill started out last year (April 2007) and appears to be on the move again.
	03-18-2008: Yet another State level requirement. Now they've decided that kindergarden should no longer be optional.
	SB0836 - State aide for shared instruction between public and private schools
	02-21-2008: Does NOT help charters because of the ruling that charters can not provide services at an outside location. Contact your legislator to make them aware that charters should have the same rights as other public schools.
	HB 5594 - Compulsory attendance age raised to 18
	01-16-2008: The bill is simple...it raises the compulsory attendance age to 18 from 16. Do you know how this will effect your academy? How about the test scores that are SO important each year?


Leadership Governance...

Governance is THE job of Charter Boards, and the MACSB offers a framework for Board governance that will put you in command of your Academy while keeping you out of the trenches. This model, which we title "Leadership Governance", is accurately based on the proven Policy Governance model (created by John Carver) which we have successfully tailored for Michigan Charter Boards.

The MACSB offers an efficient and informative presentation on Leadership Governance. Contact us for further information or to arrange a presentation to your Board.

Click here for additional information

Call: (517)819-4777 or eMail: LeadershipGovernance@macsb.org




	Budget boosts school funds
	June 26, 2008

	LANSING -- Lawmakers and Gov. Jennifer Granholm have reached agreement on a new budget that will result in about a $72 per-pupil average increase in the basic state K-12 grant to public school districts throughout Michigan. The amount is not final under Wednesday's deal, but rather is a goal that will have to be finalized in House-Senate conference committees that today will start putting the closing touches on departmental budgets that make up the $44-billion state spending plan. (more...)



	Local group seeking to open charter high school
	June 26, 2008

	MUSKEGON COUNTY -- Bay Mills Community College is accepting applications to authorize a new charter high school, and one in Muskegon County is among those being considered. Bay Mills recently opened a "competitive application process" for secondary schools only, and to date, the college has received 13 applications, according to Patrick Shannon, director of charter schools for BMCC, which is in Brimley in the Upper Peninsula. (more...)



	Excel Charter Academy to open high school
	June 05, 2008

	KENTWOOD -- Grand River Preparatory High School is ready to accept about 100 ninth-graders for the coming school year now that Grand Valley State University's Charter School Office has signed off on a plan to open the school. The high school, on 52nd Street SE between Division and Eastern avenues, will open this fall as an offshoot of Excel Charter Academy, the National Heritage Academies' K-8 charter school where parents began clamoring for a high school in recent years. (more...)

Need To Find A New ESP?


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Want to Find Out How to REALLY Evaluate Your ESP?


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Charter Board Member Code Training


	A list of "things to remember" as you serve on your Charter School Board!

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Accountability


	The Charter Board burden...accountability for school success! Read the recently developed MACSB Position Paper on board Accountability and the need for good governance

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