April 14, 2010
LANSING - State Board of Education members agreed Tuesday on what public education funding should look like in Michigan and are seeking comment over the next month on the draft recommendations, as well as on the specific mix of cuts and revenues that would pay for that system.
Board members unanimously agreed that school funding must be equitable, durable, grow with Michigan's economy, and must provide services from early childhood programs through higher education.
The State Board unanimously voted to support the direction of its preliminary plan Recommendations to Better Support Michigan's Education System - Revenues, Reforms and Restructuring, which contains a variety of education restructuring, reforms and revenues.
"This is a way to rebuild the state," said State Board President Kathleen N. Straus. "It's absolutely essential for Michigan to grow. There have to be reforms, but everyone said we need a combination of reform, more efficient ways to deliver services, and additional revenues."
The Board will continue to refine the specific recommendations by inviting comment and input from the Governor, state Legislature, education community, candidates for office, and other interested parties until the May 11 meeting of the State Board.
"We need to set the table for this," said State Board Vice President John C. Austin, who spearheaded the development of the preliminary plan. "We have to have a discussion in a non-partisan way. We hope we can see some action on this, this year."
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan said the State Board's preliminary plan is "the single best effort done in years to try to find long- and short-term solutions."
Austin sees the State Board's preliminary plan as an approach that is broader than other strategies that have been proposed.
"We're just nicking around at this in the Legislature," he said, "and not at the scale we need to have the kind of education the people in the state must have to compete. So we're recommending a balanced, comprehensive, long-term approach."
The State Board's guiding principles to restructuring Michigan's education system ensure that any changes be:
Equitable: The education program should be the same across the state (it should not matter where you go to school [big or small; rich or poor]). Resources appropriate to deliver comparable quality education for all students need be provided.
Predictable and Durable: Funding for the whole education system needs to be predictable and sustainable, and, at a minimum keep up with the Michigan economy.
Holistic: Michigan's education system needs to include support of a continuum of learning: early childhood education; K-12 education, and higher education if Michigan citizens are to succeed, and our economy improve.
Shared Sacrifice: Given Michigan's long-term financial challenges, need to cut costs, and focus resources where they are needed to support learning, there must be shared sacrifice in operating education more efficiently.
21st Century: Need to bring education service delivery into the 21st Century - in its structure, organization, expectations, schedule, and mode of operations.
Balanced Approach: A combination of reforms, cuts, and targeted investment are needed to restructure Michigan's system for effectiveness. The problems cannot be solved by cuts, nor more money alone. The State Board of Education recognizes we have to have reform, do more with less, and do it differently.
"Our state is at a crossroads and we have to decide what kind of state we want," said State Board member Casandra Ulbrich. "It's about job creation and education. We can't afford not to do it."
State Board member Nancy Danhof said that an education funding solution has to consider an examination of the larger budget priority picture.
"We need to make the really tough decisions on rearranging what we do have before we can look at new revenues," she said. "Put everything on the table, rearrange, then see what we need in terms of revenue. We can't go back to where we once were by tinkering. We have to be bold in what we do."
State Board member Reginald Turner acknowledged the balanced approach to the preliminary plan. "There has to be shared sacrifice," Turner said. "When we ask citizens for more revenues, we have to show that the system is as efficient and effective as possible."
Turner suggested that the preliminary plan be provided to candidates for Governor "who will be leading our state. We will want to know where they stand and start to elevate the debate."
To review and comment on the Recommendations to Better Support Michigan's Education System - Revenues, Reforms and Restructuring, go to http://www.michigan.gov/sbe.
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