LANSING, Mich. — The state board of education approved “charter school reform” recommendations to be sent to the legislature for consideration.
The reforms include better transparency, accountability, and higher quality education.
Monday, state superintendent Mike Flanagan announced that 11 charter school authorizers are ‘at risk’ of suspension. The department of education said the authorizers “had deficiencies in key factors of oversight of their charter schools.”
Under state law, Flanagan is responsible for determining “whether a charter school authorizer is not engaging in appropriate continuing oversight of its charter schools, and revoke future charter capability of an authorizer if the Superintendent deems it is not performing in such a manner.”
The authorizers are as follows:
- Detroit Public Schools
- Eastern Michigan University
- Education Achievement Authority
- Ferris State University
- Grand Valley State University
- Highland Park Schools
- Kellogg Community College
- Lake Superior State University
- Macomb Intermediate School District
- Muskegon Heights Public Schools
- Northern Michigan University
In response, Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA)President Dan Quisenberry issued a statement.
It read in part:
“In the days following the disputed and one-sided series in the Detroit Free Press regarding charter schools in Michigan, members of the charter school community sat down in good faith with the state Superintendent of Public Instruction with a shared goal of assuring accountability and performance of all public schools in our state. As an education community, we were optimistic about what might result. With today’s announcement from the Department of Education, that optimism, unfortunately, is gone.
“Let’s be clear – we are 100 percent committed to provide a quality education for ALL kids. They expect and deserve the best. It’s time to hold all schools accountable for outcomes.
“This report does not help get us there. It is a roadblock to having an honest and transparent conversation about the system’s strengths and weaknesses.”
