State lawmakers have asked MSU President M. Peter McPherson to help them sort out the much-debated charter school issue.
McPherson will chair a commission to review charter schools in Michigan and report back to the Legislature. The commission was announced Wednesday at the state Capitol.
“This is an issue that has been debated in the state for many years; it may be a good time to have an independent group of people review the matter,” McPherson said. “It is something I am interested in, and I am looking forward to it.”
McPherson said he expects the report to be ready early next year and will begin work once the Legislature announces the other seven commissioners.
“I am obviously interested in education, and the K-12 system in the state is of critical importance to Michigan State University, as well as to the entire state,” he said.
McPherson’s previous experience with K-12 education includes serving as chairperson of two education commissions set up by Lansing Mayor David Hollister.
Betty Brown, president of the Lansing Teachers, a professional union, served with McPherson on a commission that evaluated the Lansing public school system.
“I am very excited that he is the person to do this,” she said. “He has a unique talent in recognizing the key stakeholders and bringing those people together and getting the issue out on the table.”
Brown said her organization feels charter schools should be looked at because they are not held to the expectations of public schools.
“We initiated the charter schools to learn from their uniqueness, and that hasn’t happened,” she said. “In our mind, there is a question if they have fulfilled their mission.”
Gov. John Engler will appoint two of the seven commissioners to the committee.
Matt Resch, spokesman for Engler, said McPherson has been a good public servant for the state of Michigan.
“He has a great record in the education community and will fill his role well,” he said.
And Resch said Engler supports charter schools.
“The governor feels that charter schools provide a beneficial option to parents looking for excellence in education,” he said. “He has confidence that the commission will find that is the case across Michigan.”
State Rep. Bill McConico, D-Detroit, said he hopes to be chosen as the Democratic House representative for the commission.
“The charter school issue is one of the most controversial issues facing the Legislature right now,” he said. “Partisan feelings are preventing us from solving the problems.”
McConico said McPherson’s nonpartisan nature and the Legislature’s respect for him made him a good choice.
Aaron Keesler, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dan DeGrow, R-Port Huron, said guidelines for the commission were left vague so McPherson could have leeway to look at all the issues.
“We trust his judgment,” Keesler said. “He has a tremendous amount of experience and know-how in education
