Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan

Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan:

OPINION: Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan

On Dec. 14, our state legislators passed Senate Bill 618 to allow more charter schools in Michigan. Wasting no time, Gov. Rick Snyder signed it into law on Dec. 20. The leaders in Lansing like the idea of choice and competition, and when the population in Michigan is growing, that way of thinking would be just fine.

But the population in Michigan is shrinking, which means that every year schools have to work with less and less money even if the per-pupil funding stays the same. Adding charters now makes the situation worse.

Janice Loomis

For example, an average Michigan school gets almost $8,000 per student to run the district. That money pays for everything, lighting bills, buses, teachers, books, computers, etc. (Some districts have additional money due to bonds or categorical money which must be spent on specific areas.) In general, the main funding for schools is the per-student allotment.

So, with the passing of this law, perhaps a new charter will open in