The
product of months of work by individuals charged by Michigan Governor Snyder
with re-writing K-12 funding vehicles and delivery mechanisms was released Monday
for a period of review and comment. Predictably the proposal was met with alarm
by advocates of traditional public schools and delivery models, while praised
by those seeking greater choice.
Highlights of
the proposal include:
Students would
be able to take courses from any public school district in the state rather
than being bound to a district for their entire education.
Rather than the
traditional October student count day determining 90-percent of funding, an
average daily membership system would be utilized whereby funding is based on
how many days an individual student is enrolled in a particular district.
An incentive
would be given for early graduation of $2,500 per semester, earlier than the
usual eight.
The proposal
would create the Michigan Public Education Finance Act, utilizing the existing
School Aid Act as a template.
The Oxford
Foundation, responsible for development of the proposal with longtime Lansing
attorney Richard McLellan and Weiner & Associates attorney Peter Ruddell,
will accept comment through December 14th and will make a formal
recommendation to Governor Snyder thereafter.