Detroit Parents With Special Ed Students

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Detroit Public Schools Special Olympics Update

I have just confirmed with a Special Olympics worker that the Detroit Public Schools will retain it's Special Olympics program.

The PDF information below concerns transition services for special needs adults age 20-26 in the State of Michigan and a link to a blog for developmentally disabled persons. Copy and paste links into a search engine to see or download the info:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/Spring_11_352310_7.pdf

https://www.oaisd.org/downloads/_acct_/00/00/01/59/maase_concept_paper_20110217_103950_8.pdf

http://theddnewsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/michigan-special-education-for-students.html

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Detroit Public Schools Board Meeting Tonight

The Detroit Public Schools is having a Board meeting with the new Emergency Manager at the Welcome Center tonight.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Special Ed Legal News: Philadelphia African American families sue re: special ed

8 African American families sue Merion school district for disproportionately placing African American students in special ed classes. See link below

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/04/black-children-wrongfully_n_804411.html

Case 2: Parents sue Merion District for webcam spying on students through laptops:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbins_v._Lower_Merion_School_District

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Common Core Standards: What Special Educators Need Know

In Michigan, the MI Department of Ed has adopted common core standards for K-12 English Language Arts and Math. Due to teachers and parents asking me: "What's going to happen with our special ed students?" I am hoping this link provides an answers from the Council For Exceptional Children:

http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CEC_Today1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=15269

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Detroit Public Schools: Judge Wendy Baxter Decision Overturned

From Aurora Harris:

Dear Readers,

The following message from Friday March 18th is about Judge Wendy Baxter's decision on academic control of DPS by the Detroit Board of Education. Judge Baxter's earlier decision has been overturned. The message is from a Detroit Community group:

Judge Wendy Baxter was asked today by Special Assistant Attorney General John Clark to stay her order that granted the Board specific powers under the court's interpretation of the old PA 72 of 1990 that created the basis for emergency financial managers. With the new law, the old language that the judge based her decision on was eliminated.

BY STAYING HER ORDER, THE E.M. NOW HAS TOTAL POWER OVER THE DISTRICT. HENCE STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE THROUGH AN ELECTED BODY.

Board Attorney George Washington and Board President Anthony Adams say that, given the change in the law, the judge had no choice. The total responsibility for this reversal is due to Lansing. "No one should blame the judge one bit," says Washington. "She was bound by the new law." He added that people are going have to engage in direct actions to affect the conditions that we now face.

Anthony Adams said that "its unfortunate that the Legislature changed the law to disempower the people of Detroit to participate in the education of their children."

--
"Detroiters for Dignity and Democracy" subscribers:

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Feb 23rd Detroit Protest: Stop Emergency Financial Management of Cities and Schools Feb 28th and 29th- Call Gov. Snyder's Office

Message From We The People of Detroit, Community Groups, Parents
Cities Targeted for Emergency Financial Management Takeover include Detroit, Benton Harbor, Flint, Pontiac, and Saginaw

Subject: URGENT "911" Message! DISMANTLEMENT OF DETROIT & OTHER CITIES! Join "Synder Call-a-Thon"

Subject: A MUST WATCH: Share the Information With Everyone (See YouTube link below - a must see!) The Detroit Protest in Lansing that news sources blacked out from being shown on T.V. and read about in newspapers.

Governors Phone Number and email address: Flood his office with calls and emails to oppose EFM Takeover all day Monday & Tuesday (Feb. 28th & Feb. 29th). (517) 335-7858 email address: ricksynder@michigan.gov Contact to voice your opposition to EFM (Emergency Financial Managers) legislation that would takeover Cities in Michigan with Detroit as the "bullseye"! Get on Facebook, Twitter, text and email this to everyone you know. Short details on facebook page "We the People of Detroit"!
Dear Friends, This is the information that must be shared with everyone that you know! Especially residents of the city of Detroit and anyone who does not want a "CZAR Like" ruler, Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) assigned to takeover the pension fund ($8 Billion), Water Dept. (DWSD), Public Lighting Dept, Belle Isle, Chene Park, suspend all contracts including Union Contracts. (For continual updates visit facebook page "We the People of Detroit".

THIS IS A "911" CALL TO THE COMMUNITY!
Make announcements Sunday at your churches, clubs and share the link for the PEOPLES RALLY held in Lansing, this past Wednesday, February 23rd, barely covered by the media! Twitter it, Face book it, email it BUT MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS a chance to truly understand what is happening or could happen soon if we do not act in unity!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVoejXESaJk

Suggestions to Fight This! What You Can Do
1) Call the Governor Snyder's Office and oppose the EFM Bills 4214-4218 that would do the above and more. It would assign a "Ruler/EFM") to make all decisions about all matters (water dept., pensions, suspend Union Contracts etc.) of any Michigan city including Detroit.

2) Ask to make announcements about this at church, mosques etc. this Sunday and give the following resources to stay abreast of the issues going forward: a) We the People of Detroit (Face book Page link to PEOPLES' Rally video & more); b) www.voiceofdetroit.net for current updated info and c) www.michigancitizen.com
current alternative news with more of a "community based" perspective!

3) Share with everyone you know via Twitter, Face book, email etc.

4) Get creative and start your own campaign to defeat Draconian legislation that would take strip citizens of Detroit and other cities in Michigan of our rights & assets as citizens!

Sincerely yours,
Standing for Liberty, Justice & the Pursuit of Happiness!
http://wethepeopleofdetroit.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

House Bills to be introduced tomorrow Feb 9 in Lansing

Please excuse the formatting. The bills were cut and paste into this blog.

00566'11 TAV

HOUSE BILL No. 4176

HOUSE BILL No. 4176
HOUSE BILL No. 4176
February 1, 2011, Introduced by Rep. Nathan and referred to the Committee on Local,
Intergovernmental, and Regional Affairs.
A bill to amend 1990 PA 72, entitled
"Local government fiscal responsibility act,"
by amending section 40 (MCL 141.1240).
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 40. (1) In consultation
1 with the school board, the
2
emergency financial manager shall develop, and may from time to
3
time amend, a written financial plan for the school district. The
4
financial plan shall provide for both of the following:5
(a) Conducting the operations of the school district within
6
the resources available according to the emergency financial
7
manager's revenue estimate.
8
(b) The payment in full of the scheduled debt service
9
requirements on all bonds and notes of the school district and all
10
2
00566'11 TAV
other uncontested legal obligations.
(2) FOR A WRITTEN FINANCIAL 1 PLAN DEVELOPED OR AMENDED AFTER
2 THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE WRITTEN FINANCIAL PLAN
3 SHALL INCLUDE A SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL
4 DISTRICT AND A BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
5 IMPROVEMENT PLAN. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND
6 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN:
7 (A) THE BOARD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL DEVELOP THE SCHOOL
8 DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION
9 OF THE PLAN, WITH INPUT FROM THE LOCAL TEACHER BARGAINING UNIT AND
10 THE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT.
11 (B) THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL
12 ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE TO THE BOARD.
13 (C) THE BOARD SHALL SUBMIT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT
14 PLAN AND PROPOSED PLAN BUDGET TO THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER.
15 (D) BEFORE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND PLAN
16 BUDGET ARE INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN FINANCIAL PLAN, THEY MUST BE
17 APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BY THE INTERMEDIATE
18 BOARD OF THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND BY THE EMERGENCY
19 FINANCIAL MANAGER.
20 (3)
(2) After the initial development of the financial plan
21
required by subsection (1), the emergency financial manager in
22
consultation with the school board shall regularly reexamine the
23
plan, and if the emergency financial manager reduces his or her
24
revenue estimates, he or she shall modify the financial plan to
25
26 MANAGER SHALL SUBMIT TO THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY
27 RESOLUTION BOARD CREATED UNDER SECTION 38 QUARTERLY PROGRESS
conform to revised revenue estimates. THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL
3
00566'11 Final Page TAV
REPORTS THAT DETAIL THE STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION 1 OF ALL ASPECTS
2 OF THE FINANCIAL PLAN, INCLUDING THE STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION
3 OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (2).
4 (4)
(3) The financial plan shall be in a form, and shall
5
contain that information for each year the plan is in effect, that
6 IS REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION AND THAT
the school district's
7
emergency financial manager specifies.
8 (5)
(4) The emergency financial manager shall make public the
9
10 UNDER SUBSECTION (3)
plan or modified plan AND THE QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS REQUIRED. This subsection shall not be construed to
11
mean that the emergency financial manager must receive public
12
approval before he or she implements the financial plan or any
13
modification to the plan.
14
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
15
unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No.____ (request no.16

00567'11 TAV
HOUSE BILL No. 4177
HOUSE BILL No. 4177
HOUSE BILL No. 4177
February 1, 2011, Introduced by Rep. Nathan and referred to the Committee on Local,
Intergovernmental, and Regional Affairs.
A bill to amend 1990 PA 72, entitled
"Local government fiscal responsibility act,"
by amending section 38 (MCL 141.1238).
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 38. (1) If the superintendent
1 of public instruction
2
determines under section 35 or 36 that a school district has a
3
financial emergency, the superintendent of public instruction,4
within 30 days after that determination, shall submit to the state
5
board the names of nominees who shall be considered for appointment
6
to serve as an emergency financial manager for the school district.
7
From the list of nominees submitted to the state board, the state
8
board shall submit to the governor the names of not more than 3
9
nominees who shall be considered for appointment to serve as an
10
emergency financial manager for the school district. From the list
11
2
00567'11 TAV
with the advice and consent of the
of nominees submitted to the governor, the governor shall appoint,1 senate, an emergency financial
2
manager for the school district who shall hold office for a term
3
4 BOARD CREATED UNDER SUBSECTION (4)
fixed by the governor EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION, but not to exceed 1 year. The
5
appointment shall be by written contract and may be renewed on an
6
7 THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD AND THE
8 EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER SHALL CONTAIN SPECIFIC CONTRACTUAL
9 REMEDIES FOR FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER TO COMPLY
10 WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ARTICLE.
11
annual basis for not more than 1 year. THE WRITTEN CONTRACT BETWEEN(2) An emergency financial manager appointed under this
12
article shall be chosen solely on the basis of his or her
13
competence in PUBLIC SECTOR fiscal matters and shall not have been
14
either an elected or appointed official or employee of the school
15
district for which he or she is appointed for not less than 5 years
16
before the appointment. The emergency financial manager shall not
17
be the superintendent of public instruction. The emergency
18
financial manager need not be a resident of the school district for
19
20 INDIVIDUAL SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE COMPETENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR
21 FISCAL MATTERS UNLESS THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION
22 BOARD FINDS THAT HE OR SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED PREVIOUS PUBLIC SECTOR
23 EXPERIENCE, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE TO BE WITH A SCHOOL DISTRICT,
24 SHOWING THAT HE OR SHE IS QUALIFIED TO DO AT LEAST ALL OF THE
25 FOLLOWING:
26 (A) PREPARE AND ANALYZE A BUDGET OF A SIZE APPROPRIATE FOR A
27 SCHOOL DISTRICT THE SIZE OF THE AFFECTED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
which he or she is appointed. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, AN
3
00567'11 TAV
(B) REVIEW AND CREATE BOOKKEEPING AND 1 ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS OF A
2 TYPE APPROPRIATE FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT THE SIZE OF THE AFFECTED
3 SCHOOL DISTRICT.
4 (C) CREATE A DEFICIT REDUCTION PLAN APPROPRIATE FOR A SCHOOL
5 DISTRICT THE SIZE OF THE AFFECTED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
6 (D) TAKE ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNIFORM BUDGETING AND
7 ACCOUNTING ACT, 1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 TO 141.440A, AND IN
8 ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES.
9 (E) REVIEW AND CREATE PROFIT AND PROFIT-LOSS STATEMENTS,
10 BALANCE SHEET STATEMENTS, CASH FLOW ANALYSES, CASH RECEIPTS
11 JOURNALS, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, GENERAL LEDGERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
12 FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS.
13
(3) Unless the legislature provides special funding, an
14
emergency financial manager shall receive compensation and
15
reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses from the school
16
district as approved by the superintendent of public instruction
17 EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD CREATED UNDER
18 SUBSECTION (4)
. In addition to staff otherwise authorized by law,19
with the approval of the superintendent of public instruction,20 EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD CREATED UNDER
21 SUBSECTION (4),
the emergency financial manager may appoint
22
additional staff and secure professional assistance considered
23
necessary to implement this article.
24 (4) THERE IS CREATED AN EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY
25 RESOLUTION BOARD WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. ALL OF THE
26 FOLLOWING APPLY TO THIS BOARD:
27 (A) THIS BOARD SHALL CONSIST OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
4
00567'11 TAV
INSTRUCTION OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, THE 1 STATE TREASURER OR HIS OR
2 HER DESIGNEE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TECHNOLOGY,
3 MANAGEMENT, AND BUDGET OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE.
4 (B) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL SERVE
5 AS A NONVOTING MEMBER OF THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY
6 RESOLUTION BOARD FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL COUNSEL TO
7 THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD.
8 (C) FOR THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD'S
9 FUNCTIONS RELATED TO A PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE PRESIDENT OF
10 THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL SERVE AS A NONVOTING
11 MEMBER OF THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD.
12 (D) THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, OR HIS OR HER
13 DESIGNEE, SHALL SERVE AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL
14 EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD.
15 (E) EXCEPT FOR BUDGETING, PROCUREMENT, AND RELATED FUNCTIONS
16 OF THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD THAT SHALL BE
17 PERFORMED UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
18 OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION
19 BOARD SHALL EXERCISE ITS PRESCRIBED STATUTORY POWERS, DUTIES, AND
20 FUNCTIONS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
21 (5) THE EDUCATION FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD SHALL
22 DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WITH RESPECT TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT
23 HAS AN EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER APPOINTED UNDER THIS ARTICLE:
24 (A) DIRECTLY SUPERVISE THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER AND
25 OVERSEE ALL DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL
26 MANAGER.
27 (B) REVIEW AND APPROVE ALL COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENTS
5
00567'11 Final Page TAV
MADE TO THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER 1 AND ALL APPOINTMENTS MADE
2 BY THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER.
3 (C) REVIEW ALL CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO BY THE EMERGENCY
4 FINANCIAL MANAGER, THE CONTRACTING PRACTICES OF THE EMERGENCY
5 FINANCIAL MANAGER, AND ALL OTHER DECISIONS OF AND ACTIONS TAKEN BY
6 THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER OR HIS OR HER STAFF.
7 (D) REVIEW ALL WRITTEN PLANS AND REPORTS DEVELOPED BY THE
8 EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER.
9 (6) THE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER'S POWERS AND DUTIES UNDER
10 SECTIONS 39 TO 41A ARE SUBJECT TO OVERSIGHT BY THE EDUCATION
11 FINANCIAL EMERGENCY RESOLUTION BOARD UNDER THIS SECTION.00567'11) of the 96th Legislature is enacted into law.

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