Michigan’s schools still trail those of other states in recovering from pandemic-era learning losses. New state labor laws threaten to set students back even further, making the work of school boards even more challenging.
But school boards are getting help from the Mackinac Center as they navigate the new laws and try to keep our students on a path to success. The Solutions for School Boards project gives school boards resources to strengthen their hands in bargaining over issues they have not had to consider for more than a decade.
Since 2011, certain contract terms, including teacher placement, performance evaluations, layoffs, disciplinary procedures and merit pay, have been excluded from collective bargaining.
The Michigan Legislature enacted these extensive labor reforms to grant school officials greater authority over their schools and improve our students’ quality of education. The most significant reforms ensured that personnel policies would emphasize teacher effectiveness over seniority and required decisions to be tied to teacher performance.
These reforms did not last long. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her allies in the Legislature undid them last year. The policies that determine layoffs, merit pay and other important decisions must now be negotiated at the bargaining table. Teachers unions pushed for the 2023 legislation, and they are prepared for this new reality. But many school boards may be caught unawares, and they must be ready to negotiate previously prohibited subjects that influence the quality of teachers who staff their schools. The students’ learning experience depends on it.
Districts don’t need to revert to pre-reform policies, nor should they. While the 2023 legislation will require some changes to collective bargaining agreements, school boards should fight to retain and improve their existing policies to the fullest extent allowed by law.
The Mackinac Center will equip school boards with the tools they need to negotiate the best policies. A new feature on our website, “Solutions for School Boards,” helps school officials navigate the new collective bargaining landscape and keep student achievement at the heart of decision-making.
School boards may consult two new Mackinac Center studies, “The Tables Have Turned: The New Landscape for Collective Bargaining in Michigan Schools,” and “Going in Reverse: Michigan School Officials Should Resist Backtracking on Obama-Era Reforms.” The website will also maintain an updated database of collective bargaining agreements from all Michigan school districts, along with model policies, collective bargaining resources, and other helpful materials.
Student success depends in part on having the most qualified and effective teachers in our schools. School boards should not return to old policies that prevent schools from attracting, retaining and nurturing talented educators. Students will be at risk of falling even further behind if this happens. The Mackinac Center is proud to support school board members who fight for policies that help Michigan students, even in the face of union pressure.