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After hearing brief testimony from community college representatives on SB 622-623 and SB 709-10—all of which expand dual enrollment—the Senate Education Committee passed a series of amendments to SB 620, 623, 709-10 in the so-called education reform package.

As an MEA member, you can take advantage of special ticket savings throughout the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings season. MEA and the Detroit Red Wings/Olympia Entertainment are offering discounts not available to the general public.

Charter schools spend more of their budgets on administrative and maintenance costs instead of in the classroom. Robert Burgess, the former president of the Michigan School Business Officers Association, presented the data from the 2009-10 school year which shows 22.5 percent of charter school budgets is spent on administrative costs while public schools spend 11.5 percent on the same costs.

As part of the continued legislative attack on public school employees and their unions, the House introduced a four-bill package (HB 5023-5026) that deals with strikes, picketing, dues deduction and the hiring of scabs. The bills were referred to the House Committee on Oversight, Reform and Ethics.

Michigan may have to reapply for a waiver to get relief from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate that all students be proficient on state tests by 2014. New waiver request forms are due Nov. 14; approval can be expected as early as January 2012. A second round of waivers is due February 2012.