LANSING, Mich. (March 1, 2022) — Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) issued the following statement of support after bills for the School Freedom, Accountability, Choice, and Transparency (FACT) Act were introduced by Democrats in both bodies of the Legislature, including Senate Bills 931 and 935, which he sponsored:
“All students deserve access to a quality and stable learning environment, and Michigan families deserve more facts to make informed decisions where to send their kids to school. Unfortunately, for 150,000 Michigan students in charter schools, that information is becoming harder to obtain, the educational outcomes are becoming more dubious, and our tax dollars are becoming less traceable. Billionaires like Betsy DeVos are profiting from these voids.
“That is why I proposed Senate Bills 931 and 935 in the School FACT Act today, which would hold the Education Management Organization in charge of a charter school accountable for the state funding they receive. My bills would require disclosure of fiscally distressed charter schools to both the state and other charter schools under the leadership of that EMO, and prevent any financial conflicts of interest between EMOs and groups or individuals who establish charters.
“Each year, taxpayers are providing more than a billion dollars to charter schools and EMOs that operate throughout Michigan. Much of this money is hidden from the public and we need to know where this funding is going. These bills, as well as the rest of the package, will give us important, transparent insights into how money is being spent so we can more effectively fund our education in Michigan.”
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