Results from the Spring 2010 MRG Michigan Poll indicated that 77% of voters support public charter schools in the state, which has increased dramatically from 54% voter support in the 2002 MRG Michigan Poll.  At the same time, opposition to public charter schools has dropped in half from 32% to only 16% of voters during the same time period.

“The positive-negative support ratio for public charter schools has gone from less than 2:1 to nearly 5:1 in the past eight years,” said Paul King, Director of Survey Research at Marketing Resource Group. “This is tremendous movement for any public policy issue, and public charter schools are fast approaching bullet-proof status.”

On average, the state’s public schools earned a 1.97 GPA from voters when asked what grade they would give the schools, which is “C” average. Specific grades were as follows:

• A:    3%
• B:  26%
• C:  41%
• D:  16%
• F:  10%

In addition to strong support for charter public schools, nearly 80% support additional public school options in the state and a majority of voters strongly support additional choices.  Also, 73% of respondents believe more students should have the opportunity to enroll in public charter schools.

“We’re pleased that public perception is catching up with the actual success of public charter schools in closing the achievement gap and delivering results for a variety of students,” said Billie Wimmer, Executive Director of the Michigan Council of Charter School Authorizers.

On the issue of failing public schools, two-thirds of voters support state intervention or takeover of chronically failing public schools.  For the first time, this type of intervention is being required by federal and state legislation.

“Parents are demanding quality public school options for their families, and our member schools will continue providing choice, achievement and accountability in public education,” said Dan Quisenberry, President of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA).

Quisenberry commented that release of the MRG Michigan Poll data follows the recent release of 2009 MEAP data, which confirmed students in public charter schools continue to outperform students in similar traditional districts on nearly all tests.

The Michigan Department of Education also recently released their 2009 PSA Report to the Legislature, which confirms the solid performance of Michigan’s public charter schools within the state’s K-12 education community.

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The MRG Michigan Poll was conducted between March 10-15, 2010, which consisted of 600 random telephone surveys, stratified by voter turnout in past general elections.  Given the statewide sample size of 600 and the method of random selection, the statistical margin of error can be reliably set at plus or minus four percent within a 95 percent degree of confidence.  For additional information regarding the MRG Michigan Poll, please contact Paul King at 313-881-3724.

Please click here for a PDF version of this release and charts.

Please click here for a 6-page executive summary of the 2010 Spring MRG Michigan Poll Results.

Please click here to download the draft version of MDE’s 2009 PSA Report to the Legislature.

Please click here to access 2009 MEAP results for public charter schools.

The cornerstone of the legislative package was the nation’s first “Smart Cap” on public charter schools.  Michigan becomes the first state in the nation to go beyond simply the “quantity” of charter schools and focus on “quality” charters.  For the first time, those existing charter schools that deliver exceptional academic success, especially those with high achievement among at-risk students, will have the opportunity to become “Schools of Excellence” under the legislation, which will allow for the replication of additional high-quality charter schools and will attract the nation’s best charter school models.

Existing charters that become “Schools of Excellence” will no longer count against the legislative cap of 150 university-authorized charter schools.   A limited number of new applicants, and cyber-charter schools, will also be allowed to open under the legislation.

Much of the credit for the new “smart cap” goes to Sen. Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit), the primary bill sponsor, and Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Chair of the Senate Education Committee.  Through their strong bi-partisan leadership, Michigan has made a significant contribution to the on-going policy debate regarding the proper place of public charter schools in the education landscape.  Congrats and kudos to these two key public servants!!

Additionally, the state will  be developoing a systemic program to intervene in the those schools meeting the new federal definition of ““persistently lowest-achieving schools” (Those failing to reach AYP for 2 consecutive years; are among the lowest 5% of the state in academic achievement; and/or is a high school with a graduation rate less than 60%).

SB 981 (Kuipers) is the charter expansion bill.

Over a dozen bills have been introduced and debated in the legislature during the past few months.  The four key education reforms needed in Michigan, and addressed by this comprehensive bill package, focus on the following issues:

Charter expansion: The state is being encouraged to allow for the expansion of quality public charter schools.

Failing schools: The state is being encouraged to develop an intervention plan for the persistently lowest-achieving 5% of all public schools in the state, including public charter schools.

Alternative and administrator certification: The state is being encouraged to develop alternative pathways to teacher certification, as well as a certification process for school administrators.

Linking data to performance: The state is being encouraged to develop a system that uses student academic performance data as a significant factor in the evaluation of public school teachers and leaders.

There are a number of other issues that have been included in some of these bills, such as full-day kindergarten, starting school before Labor Day, compulsory attendance to age 18, etc.  It is unclear how many of these issues will remain in the package.

Because the House and the Senate have passed different versions of these bills, they are being assigned to a six-member Senate-House conference committee.  This committee will review the issues and draft a new set of bills (a conference report), which can then only be voted “up or down” by the full Senate and House of Representatives (no amendments or changes allowed).

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop has named the following members to the conference committee:  Senator Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), Chair of the Education Committee; Sen. Gerry Van Woerkom, (R-Muskegon), Vice-Chair of the Education Committee; and Sen. Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit), the primary sponsor of the charter expansion bill.

House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Ferndale), has not yet publicly announced which three Representatives will serve on the conference committee.

It is expected the conference committee will produce their final report and the bills will be voted on in the Senate and House no later than Thursday, December 17.

Charter advocates are working to protect the strength of Michigan’s existing charter law and provide additional opportunities for quality charter schools to open in the state.

There is still a lot of work to do on these bills, and it is likely that  changes will occur before the process has been concluded. To read the specific bills being considered by the conference committee, please click on each link below:

SB 926 (Thomas) – Charter Expansion (school aid act)
SB 981 (Kuipers) – Charter Expansion & Linking Data to Performance
HB 4787 (Melton) – Charter Expansion & Failing Schools
HB 4788 (Johnson) – Failing Schools (school aid act)
HB 5596 (Pavlov) – Alternative Certification for Teachers

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