Fix Education - Put Students First "Blah, Blah, Blah" - Mackinac Island Conference, Student Debt ...

Michelle Rhee at the annual "Blah, Blah Blah" MACKINAC ISLAND Conference in Michigan stated this week ““We have to begin to see education as a bipartisan issue — one that we can all come together on,” she said. “The politics of education have become more polarized than anything else.” Ms. Rhee has always been guided by one core principle: put students first.

Read the full story –

http://www.freep.com/article/20130530/NEWS06/305300105

Former Governor Jeb Bush also spoke at the conference on education – “The one thing clear about former Florida governor and national education advocate Jeb Bush’s ideas about education is this: Students must come first.

He said there is nothing about Detroit’s public schools that cannot be fixed if officials focus on students, rather than teachers and politics.”

Read the full story – http://www.freep.com/article/20130529/OPINION/305290091/Jeb-Bush-education-Mackinac-Policy-Conference

qualityg says…

Each year, Michigan's political and business leaders gather on Mackinac Island for the annual Mackinac Policy Conference put on by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. They come together to discuss critical issues affecting the state, such as education and creating growth to Michigan’s job market.



More than 1,500 people will spend the next three days at the luxurious Grand Hotel listening to a variety of business, political and keynote speakers. Blah, Blah, Blah. I’m not opposed (except for the cost to taxpayers) to trying to come up with plans of action and strategies but year after year we hear and read the same thing and nothing changes except the continued failure of our education system and the rising rate of student debt that faces our country.

I am so tired of the posturing on both sides of the political party and the hostage holding they do when it comes to critical issues like education and how much taxes we pay. They won’t be happy until we are “truly” a second class nation that continues to spiral downward when it comes to future of our children and the foundation of our country.

Here is the crying Mantra for folks to talk about education and everyone says yes, yes, and yes and that is to put students first - Blah, Blah, Blah...

Look -yes of course we must put students first but that is NOT enough! There must be a partner ship and I have built a process to do this called the Cabrini Dream Mentor Program Click Here - www.dreammentorprogram.com . It is based on the simple partnership concept that follows:

 

Click on Pic to Enlarge

Please click here for more...
http://qualityg.blogspot.com/search/label/Dream%20Mentor


Rochelle Riley the Detroit Free Press Columnist wrote that Governor (Michigan) Snyder said “It's about the kids. That’s the way we need to start this. It’s about helping these kids grow,” said Gov. Rick Snyder, who said he made multiple visits to EAA schools. “This is a big deal, changing the lives of those kids.”

Ms. Riley writes about the Educational Achievement Authority (EAA) school system in Detroit where they have taken some controversial educational concepts and are applying them to measure change on how their students are being taught.

"The biggest difference in the EAA and other schools is that it eliminates grade levels and instead teaches children based on their learning levels."

qg says... Good for them and Dr. Deming would be proud!

See Full Article - http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013305300101

Student Debt

I read this on 5/31/13 …

On July 1, more than 7 million college kids will see their federal student loan rates double unless Congress reaches a compromise to avert the looming hike. Given the recent track record of the legislative branch, that may not be a comforting proposition. But in this case history offers a glimmer of hope. A year ago, amid a tight presidential campaign, Barack Obama was able to use the presidential bully pulpit to pressure Congressional Republicans into postponing the planned rate spike for 12 months. Now, with federal subsidies again set to sunset in a month, Obama gathered a group of college kids in the sweltering Rose Garden Friday morning in a bid to force Republicans to bend. “If this sounds like deja vu all over again, that’s because it is,” Obama said. “We went through this, and eventually Congress listened to all the parents and young people who said, Don’t double my rate.”

To read the full article –
http://swampland.time.com/2013/05/31/obama-kicks-off-campaign-to-stop-student-loan-spike/



I believe any student who has student debt from a “so-called” Institute of Higher Learning should not have to pay the loan back unless Institute of Higher Learning can prove they are cost efficient and effective.

The following chart compares Institute of Higher Learning

	For-Profit Institute of Higher Learning	Non-Profit Institute of Higher Learning
Types of Education	Inclined to focus more on technical or vocational education	Inclined to be more academic or research-oriented
Types of Degrees	Variety from associate’s to doctoral degrees; can more rapidly implement degree programs in critical areas such as information technology, health care, or security studies	Choice from associate’s to doctoral degrees
Length of Program	Highly flexible schedules that sometimes allow students to finish faster; graduation rates are typically lower than non-profit schools	In-classroom education can take years, but online components may accelerate program completion
Cost	Typically more expensive than non-profit counterparts. Student loan defaults are higher	Costs fluctuate, with state schools usually costing less than private schools

The difference between For-Profits and Not-for-Profits colleges is the school mission. For-Profit colleges operate like other businesses. They are backed by investors, and they work towards a profit. Not-for-Profit schools may charge similar tuition prices, but all of the proceeds are put back into the schools.

For example – Most State and Private colleges/universities are publically (government) funded.

Non-profit private institutions receive far less government funding, but they are still considered non-profit because the money they bring in goes straight back into the school to improve their programs, hire well qualified faculty, maintain their campus facilities, offer student services, etc.

For-profit private schools (University of Phoenix, ITT Tech, Everest, Kaplan, Sylvan, etc.) are corporations. The money they bring in doesn't go back into the school; rather, it goes into the pockets of the corporate owners and investors.

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/10-worst-states-for-college-graduates-in-student-debt.html/?a=viewall

Thanks for allowing me to vent - Blah, Blah, Blah…