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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

As House wraps up charter school testimony, Senate Democrats propose ban on for-profit firms running schools | MLive.com

As House wraps up charter school testimony, Senate Democrats propose ban on for-profit firms running schools | MLive.com:

As House wraps up charter school testimony, Senate Democrats propose ban on for-profit firms running schools

Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 1:02 PM Updated: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 1:51 PM
charter kids 2.jpgFlexTech High School freshmen Amelia Moorehouse and Lucas Stanesa testified before the House Education Committee. Their school, in Brighton, is a mix of classroom learning and online courses.

LANSING – As a state House committee considers lifting the cap on charter schools, two Senate Democrats say they'll try to slow the growth by introducing a constitutional amendment banning schools operated by a for-profit entity.

About 80 percent of the state's 255 charter schools use a management company for varying levels of services, and many of the companies are for-profit firms.

Sens. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, and Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, on Tuesday said Senate Republicans last month approved bills “essentially opening the doors to business run, for-profit schools and increased privatization of teachers and school workers. This constitutional amendment aims to