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| Michigan Capitol Confidential photo/Filth and dead mice in a room at Highland Park High School |
The Mackinac Center is often criticized for its
unrelenting criticism of public education and teacher unions, but Audrey
Spalding of the center’s Michigan Capitol Confidential web page should be
lauded for showing a horrific example of how big spending doesn’t equal quality
schools, and also that charter school companies can also fail miserably in
turning around a school.
unrelenting criticism of public education and teacher unions, but Audrey
Spalding of the center’s Michigan Capitol Confidential web page should be
lauded for showing a horrific example of how big spending doesn’t equal quality
schools, and also that charter school companies can also fail miserably in
turning around a school.
Spalding reports that the Highland Park School District
spent nearly $20,000 per pupil in 2010-11 – the highest expenditure rate in
the state – yet the district schools were so thoroughly mismanaged and
neglected that that they had rodents in the classrooms, holes in the
ceilings and walls, and horrendous filth in the bathrooms.
spent nearly $20,000 per pupil in 2010-11 – the highest expenditure rate in
the state – yet the district schools were so thoroughly mismanaged and
neglected that that they had rodents in the classrooms, holes in the
ceilings and walls, and horrendous filth in the bathrooms.
“’It was terrible,’ a senior at the high school told
Spalding. ‘We had to worry if something was going to crawl on us; worry if
the ceiling was going to fall in on us.’”
Spalding. ‘We had to worry if something was going to crawl on us; worry if
the ceiling was going to fall in on us.’”
The Capitol Confidential report found that subsequent charter school
reform efforts have also failed:
reform efforts have also failed:
“This fall, the district reopened as a charter district under
a state pilot program created after Gov. Rick Snyder declared a financial
emergency in Highland Park. School administrators who work for
The Leona Group, the charter management
company that is running the schools, say that they have spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars to try to clean and fix up the facilities.
a state pilot program created after Gov. Rick Snyder declared a financial
emergency in Highland Park. School administrators who work for
The Leona Group, the charter management
company that is running the schools, say that they have spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars to try to clean and fix up the facilities.
But Spalding found little evidence of that. She reports
that many of the toilets are caked with brown
filth. And there’s more: “Ceiling
tiles are missing in many of the buildings. One hallway wall in
the high school is partially caved in.”
that many of the toilets are caked with brown
filth. And there’s more: “Ceiling
tiles are missing in many of the buildings. One hallway wall in
the high school is partially caved in.”
After an enrollment slide of about 50 percent, the
district has just 1,145 students. But it exceeded $19,600 in total aid per
pupil due to special allocations, including $5.1 million in federal funds.
district has just 1,145 students. But it exceeded $19,600 in total aid per
pupil due to special allocations, including $5.1 million in federal funds.
Though Highland Park received double the amount that many
districts survive on, the district suffered from millions of dollars in deficits
before the takeover. A PTA president said at the time that the solution was
simple – more funding for the district.
districts survive on, the district suffered from millions of dollars in deficits
before the takeover. A PTA president said at the time that the solution was
simple – more funding for the district.
