Charter School Money Grab Approved by House

Jan 21, 2018

The state House yesterday narrowly approved a controversial measure that would give money from voter-approved enhancement millages to for-profit charter schools. SB 574 now returns to the Senate for a final vote. 

"This bill is forcing public dollars into unaccountable for-profit charter schools, pushed by corporate special interest backers like Betsy DeVos," MEA President Paula Herbart said in a statement released after the vote. "Voters should be able to use regional enhancement millages to ensure their neighborhood schools have the funds necessary to provide a quality education for their children."
This change to school funding is opposed by numerous school groups and many parents, who argue that 90 percent of Michigan school children attend traditional public schools, which are held to higher standards of financial transparency and performance.

About 83 percent of Michigan charter schools are for-profit entities with no elected representation or public oversight in how tax dollars are spent - which means no guarantee additional public money would benefit students instead of furthering corporate profits. 

"Communities who choose to pay more to help their schools shouldn't have to see their hard-earned tax money pad the bottom line of for-profit charter companies," Herbart said.