Tuesday, March 6, 2012

CYBER school bills coming to a vote!

Subject: ALERT - Cyber Expansion Vote THIS WEEK

The Michigan House of Representatives will be voting this week on SB 619 to lift the cap for-profit cyber charter schools.

Currently, there are two cyber schools operating under existing law in the state. The law establishing the two existing cybers also requires a report be completed after two years of operation to determine their effectiveness - that report has not been completed as the cybers are only in their second year of operation.

However, data available indicates the two schools have not been achieving a level to justify further or unlimited expansion of such schools.

Please act TODAY.

USE THIS LINK TO CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE MICHIGAN HOUSE! Click the link below!

http://capwiz.com/nea/mi/directory/statedir.tt?state=MI&lvl=state

Talking Points:

  1. · SB 619 allows for-profit cyber school corporations to use public taxpayer dollars - thus, reducing the already limited PUBLIC State School Aid Fund dollars.
  2. · According to the state's website, MI School Data, the two existing cyber charter schools currently operating, fall far below the state average on almost all reported student outcomes.
  3. · Only 9% of 3rd graders at one of the cybers (MI Virtual Charter Academy) were proficient on the Michigan Merit Exam last year.
  4. · AYP - the two Michigan cyber schools did NOT make AYP and nationally, only 27 percent of for-profit charter schools made AYP last year.
  5. · Wall Street traded corporations continue to make millions of dollars delivering poor quality education to students. This is big business. Connections Academy - involved with one of the two existing cybers in Michigan - recently sold for $400 million to a British firm

Is the future of Michigan's children something to be traded and sold to benefit international shareholders?

Please CONTACT your representative TODAY and urge them to oppose SB 619.