| December 17, 2009 | http://detnews.com/article/20091217/POLITICS02/912170439 |
KAREN BOUFFARD
Detroit News Lansing Bureau
Lansing --Finger-pointing gave way to theatrics this afternoon in the turbulent battles under way in Lansing over education reforms needed to qualify for $400 million or more in federal Race to the Top funding.
About 40 House Democrats flanked Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, and Education Committee Chair Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, at a lunchtime press conference called to shame Republicans back to the negotiating table. Republicans stormed out of talks about 8 p.m. Wednesday night, led by Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, after negotiation stumbled over the issue of charter schools.
Asked if the Democrats had picked up a phone to ask Kuipers back to the table, Melton said, "As far as they know, we're still down in the conference room. We didn't walk out on them; they walked out on us."
After further prodding from reporters, Dillon whipped out his cell and dialed Kuipers directly: "We want you to come back to the table and negotiate," Dillon said. "I'll be in my office right now."
Dillon announced about an hour later that talks had resumed. "We're back in business," Dillon said.
Kuipers, in an interview with The Detroit News this morning, charged that the House and Gov. Jennifer Granholm's administration aren't fully committed to winning the money -- and presented as evidence problems Michigan had meeting last week's deadline to file an optional letter of intent to apply for Race to the Top funding.
Jan Ellis, spokeswoman for the Department of Education, said the problems were not on the state's end. When they tried to send the letter to Washington expressing their intent to apply for the money, the computers were down at the U.S. Department of Education, so the letter never was sent.
Melton said Kuipers' criticism of the Department of Education is meant to divert attention from Republicans' lack of cooperation.
"The department is fully engaged in this -- (State School Superintendent) Mike Flanagan has had his staff working around the clock on this," Melton said. "The real (issue) is the Senate walking away from negotiations.
"It's an optional letter, and the House and the governor are fully committed to this."
The letter was optional and won't jeopardize Michigan's chances of winning the money, Ellis said.
She said the purpose of the form was help the U.S. Department of Education prepare for an onslaught of state applications expected by the Jan. 19 deadline for the first wave of funding.
"This was not an application -- it was a letter of intent that was optional, and that we tried to file at least three times, and their system was down," Ellis said, referring to the U.S. Department of Education's computer system.
"There was no requirement and they know we are going to apply" for the money.
Ellis said the department has since sent in the letter.
Because Michigan's notice was not received by the U.S. Department of Education by the deadline, the state was not listed among states planning to apply for the first round of funding. Applications for Phase I funding are due by Jan. 19; states not ready to apply by then will have another opportunity later in 2010.
Senate Republicans walked out on negotiations on education reform legislation late Wednesday, bringing a halt -- for the moment -- to talks about education reforms linking teacher pay to student test scores, opening more charter schools and other measure the Obama administration has outlined as requirement for Race to the Top cash.
Conference committee meetings slated for 9 a.m. this morning were swiftly recessed since there were no deals for members to debate.
Melton said this morning that Republicans, led by Kuipers, walked out after House Democrats wouldn't budge on the Senate's plan to open 100 or more additional charter schools in the state.
"The Senate just wants to get a wish list to do as many charters as they want, and that's not what Race to the Top is all about," Melton said.
Kuipers said talks failed over a number of issues, not just charter schools.
"We have a number of outstanding issues, and we weren't making progress on any of them," Kuipers said. "I just said, 'We've been talking for six hours. We're not making progress. When you're willing to get serious, let us know.' "
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