Michigan School Districts Dissolution Legislation (Update)

Bills to dissolve districts almost law

By Kathleen Gray and Lori Higgins Detroit Free Press Staff Writers

   LANSING — The Buena Vista and Inkster school districts could be dissolved before classes start in September under bills that neared final passage on Wednesday.

   Under the package of bills, passed on a 20-18 vote in the state Senate, the state treasurer and superintendent of schools could unilaterally dissolve a financially insolvent school district that has between 300 and 2,400 students. Currently, that would affect the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts — but not Pontiac, the other most financially troubled district in the state, which has about 5,000 students.

   “Let this be a tool that will help allow the locals to begin to solve these problems through cooperation,” said Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair. “The State of Michigan has a responsibility that when the school year starts again in September, that the children have a place to go to get a quality education.”

   Democrats were united in their opposition to the bills, saying they were rushed through the Legislature in two weeks and didn’t give locals enough time for oversight or review.

   “This legislation vests unprecedented powers in two unelected officials in the State of Michigan,” said state Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Highland Park. “This is a partisan- and corporate-driven agenda.”

   The vote came several hours after hundreds of teachers rallied at the Capitol to protest legislative action taken regarding public education and the 2014 election.

   “Let’s give them an eviction out of our house,” said Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a Detroit educator and community organizer, referring to state leaders who do not represent the interests of public education.

   Speakers decried what they described as the corporatization of public schools, efforts to dissolve financially distressed school districts and a financial disinvestment in public schools.

   Under the legislation, a district could be dissolved only if it failed to produce a viable plan to eliminate a deficit, if it didn’t produce a deficit elimination plan at all, or if it was unable to provide education services to students for the entire school year.

   The issue became critical this year after the Buena Vista district was forced to close its doors for two weeks in May because it didn’t have enough money to operate. Across the state, there are 55 school districts operating with deficits.

   Students from a dissolved district would be assigned to one or more nearby districts. A form of the dissolved district would remain intact to collect revenue from the local millage to pay off the district’s debt. Language that would have required the receiving school district to hire new employees from the dissolved districts was stripped out of the legislation.

   The House Fiscal Agency estimated that if the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts — which have the worst financial problems — were dissolved, the state School Aid Fund would need to come up with more than $4 million annually just to cover per-pupil funding for school districts that would receive students from a dissolved district.

   The bills also provided $4.9 million from the state to cover costs associated with the dissolution of districts and transfer to nearby districts.

   The bills were amended to provide more local review of the dissolution and recognition of students receiving special-education services. The changes mean the legislation has to go back to the House for concurrence before it moves to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature.

   Among those attending the rally was large delegation from the Inkster school district, hoping to influence senators to reject the school dissolution bill. Beverly Gerhard, the principal at Blanchette Middle School in Inkster, and Nelson A. Henry, the school’s academic engagement officer, both said they are troubled by the legislation.

   Gerhard urged lawmakers to visit Inkster schools and “look at children who are really learning in the classroom, because they seem to think there is no learning going on.”

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

   › A $4-million infusion of cash to clear up a backlog of thousands of rape kits that need to be tested was one of many items included in a supplemental budget bill approved by the state Senate on Wednesday. More than 11,000 kits were found in 2009 in a Detroit police property storage room. They represent evidence in rape investigations dating back 25 years.

   › Off-road vehicle drivers will have their horizons expanded after the Senate voted 27-11 to let ORVs on the shoulders of some maintained roads across the state. The bill has to go back to the House for concurrence before it moves to Gov. Rick Snyder for his signature.

   › It took three tries, but the Senate approved a restructuring and increase in hunting and fishing license fees. The increase is expected to add $19.7 million in revenues and will be used, in part, to pay for 41 more conservation officers. The base hunting license will be $10 for state residents and $150 for nonresidents. Additional costs will be added for specific species of game, ranging from $12 for waterfowl, $20 for deer and up to $100 for elk, moose and wolf. The bill needs to go back to the House for concurrence before moving toSnyder.

   › Snyder cut his trade mission trip to Israel short to return to Michigan and try to convince areluctant Senate to pass an expansion of Medicaid. For two days, the Senate has been unable to muster the Republican votes necessary to bring the expansion up for consideration.

EDUCATION RALLY: Teachers gather Wednesday at the Capitol in protest of what they see as a financial disinvestment in public schools, the possible dissolution of school districts, and schools becoming more like corporations. Mark Shauer speaks to the crowd. REGINA H. BOONE/DFP