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Charter schools spend more of their budgets on administrative and maintenance costs instead of in the classroom. Robert Burgess, the former president of the Michigan School Business Officers Association, presented the data from the 2009-10 school year which shows 22.5 percent of charter school budgets is spent on administrative costs while public schools spend 11.5 percent on the same costs.

As part of the continued legislative attack on public school employees and their unions, the House introduced a four-bill package (HB 5023-5026) that deals with strikes, picketing, dues deduction and the hiring of scabs. The bills were referred to the House Committee on Oversight, Reform and Ethics.

Michigan may have to reapply for a waiver to get relief from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate that all students be proficient on state tests by 2014. New waiver request forms are due Nov. 14; approval can be expected as early as January 2012. A second round of waivers is due February 2012.

With a 4-2 vote, the House Oversight, Reform and Ethics Committee adopted HB 4052 today and moved one step closer to restricting our rights to freedom of speech and association. The bill now goes to the full House.

With the Legislature back in session, they are wasting no time pushing their so-called “education reform” agenda.

Today, Senate Republicans introduced a package of seven bills focusing on the expansion of charter schools, school choice, dual enrollment, and cyber schools; privatization of instructional staff; and siphoning of school aid funds to nonpublic school students.