Neighborhood Schools to be Converted

Karen Bouffard / The Detroit News

Lansing --Poor-performing public schools could be converted to independent schools with teachers who get merit pay under a package of education reform bills slated to be introduced in the state Senate today.

Called the Neighborhood Public Schools package, the legislation would create schools that could be sponsored by a large city mayor, the state Board of Education, charter schools or other entities as long as they aren't religious.

New schools could be established by a majority vote of both parents and teachers, according to Senate education committee chair Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland. He said it's not an expansion of charters or a voucher program of any sort.

Groups wishing to establish schools would be subject to performance and accountability standards, Kuipers added.

"We want to make sure those who go for these schools are accountable," Kuipers said. "It doesn't do us any good to introduce new schools or charters if they're not going to perform any better."

The legislation would allow local governments, or even neighborhood public school corporations formed by one or more teachers, to establish schools, including early childhood learning centers, cyber schools, dropout recovery centers or career education high schools.

The package is meant to address the high school dropout problem in Michigan, and particularly in Detroit, which U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has characterized as a national disgrace.

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