LANSING – It is not the complete removal of the cap the Senate wanted, nor is it the incredibly large cap a House committee approved, but what passed the House unexpectedly Thursday was just enough of an expansion of cyberschools to win support on a 56-54 vote.
“House Republicans today approved pro-student, pro-parent education reforms that will help better prepare young people for adulthood and the 21st century economy,” Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, chair of the House Education Committee, said in a statement.
Lyons shepherded the bill through to final passage after it had been sitting on the House floor since February.
Republicans had struggled to find the votes, but enough changes were made to guarantee passage.
House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) said the opposition was largely driven by money for adults and the support was driven by concern for students.
He said there was no arm-twisting, just educating members and listening to constituents.
Rep. Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield) said a Republican colleague told her after the vote that he or she felt like a “prostitute” after being forced to vote for the bill although she did not name the lawmaker. She said she heard other Republican members were threatened with primary challenges or a lack of financial support in the upcoming campaign.
“How would Lisa Brown have any idea?” Bolger retorted when told of her comments.
Bolger said he did not engage in anything such activity.
Former Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus, Snyder’s top legislative liaison, appeared to be working the issue on the floor.
Prior to the vote, he could be seen speaking with Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R-Clayton), Rep. Thomas Hooker (R-Byron Center) and Rep. Kenneth Yonker (R-Caledonia). All ended up voting for the bill.
With the voting board open, Rep. Anthony Forlini (R-Harrison Township) and Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Ida) were the final two to indicate their vote.
Forlini eventually voted against it, and then Zorn cast the final vote, which guaranteed passage of the bill.
Zorn said he voted for the bill because it will give parents and students more opportunities.
Most importantly to him, it will now allow public schools to have the opportunity to open cyberschools. There is a school in his district that is considering doing so, he said.
As to the notion that he cast the deciding vote, which some Democrats are already saying, Zorn said that is not true.
“I sometimes take as much time as I possibly can,” he said. “I think it was cast long before I ever voted.”
There were 15 amendments offered, but only the six from Republicans were adopted. All of the amendments were either approved or rejected on the floor without any debate or explanation of what was contained in them.
One amendment states that through December 31, 2013, the total number of statewide authorizing bodies for schools of excellence that are cyberschools cannot exceed five.
In the following year, that number can double. After December 31, 2014, there cannot be more than 15.
In February, the House Education Committee approved the bill largely along party lines after adding a “cap” to the bill so that roughly a half million students could attend such schools. After 2013, nearly 1 million students in Michigan could attend.
Under the new version, a cyberschool cannot exceed enrollment of 2,500, and not more than 5,000 the second year. In the third and subsequent years, enrollment cannot exceed more than 10,000.
If the Department of Education determines the number of students enrolled in cyberschools in the 2012-13 fiscal year exceeds 1 percent of the total statewide membership in public schools this year, then new cyberschool contracts cannot be issued in 2013-14 school year and cyberschools cannot enroll any new students that year.
Beginning July 1, 2013, that increases to 2 percent.
Rep. Jeff Farrington (R-Utica), Forlini, Rep. Ben Glardon (R-Owosso), Rep. Ken Goike (R-Ray Township), Rep. Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth), Rep. Joel Johnson (R-Clare), Rep. Paul Muxlow (R-Brown City) and Rep. Peter Pettalia (R-Presque Isle) joined all but one Democrat in opposing the bill. Rep. Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit) supported the bill.
Glardon voted against the bill because he said he wanted to wait and see the report on the two cyberschools the state now has. The report is due later this year. “I am certainly not opposed to the concept,” Glardon said. He also said he wanted to see more information on how much the expansion would cost.
Minority Floor Leader Kate Segal (D-Battle Creek) said the Legislature was treating students like “lab rats.”
Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) had a different take.
“I love empowering parents,” he said. “This is no experiment, please. This is very tested.”
Soon after session began, word began to leak that the House would take up the bill, which was first reported by Gongwer News Service, after a two-month struggle to find the right language that would yield at least the minimum 56 votes for passage.
Out in the lobby, Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton Township), the bill sponsor, walked up and chatted with Michigan Association of Public School Academies President Dan Quisenberry and his colleagues.
“So is this the group that’s going out for beers tonight?” Colbeck said.
Quisenberry said in a statement that there are about 10,000 students on waiting lists for Michigan’s two cyber charter schools.
“It’s obvious that parents and students are hungry for this educational choice. We know that every student learns differently, and for some students, a cyber charter school is the right choice,” he said. “Thanks to the House’s action today, thousands of parents are now empowered to make the choice that’s right for their child. If we want to make our public education system the envy of the nation, it’s vital that we have a robust assortment of quality education options. This includes cyber-learning opportunities.”
Brian and Heidi Kevelin, board members of the National Coalition for Public School Options – Michigan Chapter, praised passage of the bill in a statement.
“More options are finally almost here for families desperately waiting for a chance to enroll in an online charter public school,” they said. “For months now, parents and students have faithfully traveled to Lansing to make their voices heard, meeting with their legislators and testifying about the benefits online learning options have delivered for their families. Today, the state House took action to expand access to online learning, and we are grateful.
But American Federation of Teachers-Michigan President David Hecker said in a statement that it was deeply disturbing to see the bill rammed through the Legislature.
“Research suggests we should be very wary of further increasing the number of cyberschools, and this bill would throw open the floodgates completely,” he said. “This bill is not about better educating students, it’s about giving away public education dollars to corporate CEOs with no safeguards to protect taxpayers. We call on Governor Snyder to be guided by the evidence and veto this bill.”
Because Segal submitted a letter indicating she will seek reconsideration of the vote next week, the bill remains in the House.
The House also approved SB 622 , SB 623 , SB 709 and SB 710 , which expand dual enrollment options for high school students to take classes that count both toward high school and postsecondary credit with the state picking up the cost of the postsecondary courses. Current law restricts such options to those in their junior and senior year. Now students could take such courses starting with their freshman year.
Students in state-approved nonpublic schools also could now participate in dual enrollment with the state picking up the cost of the postsecondary courses.
This story was provided by Gong
