Should Michigan Lift the Cap on Charter Schools?

Michigan may be on its way to allowing more charter schools, after the state House voted 58-49 to pass Senate Bill 618 Wednesday night, which would remove the state cap on charter schools.

"Every Michigan student deserves to receive a quality education of their own parents' choosing," , said in a November news release. "This legislation empowers parents to have the options needed to keep their children out of failing schools."

The Birmingham Board of Education has already come out in opposition to the bill, as well as several other bills packaged with SB 618, sometimes called the Parent Empowerment Education Reform Package. , noting it could "cripple" local school districts.

“These (bills) are not necessarily in the best interest of all students in Michigan,” said board member Geri Rinschler.

According to the resolution approved by the board, these bills “have the potential to further erode enrollment and funding provided by local communities” and “eliminate the local community’s authority … to make financial and other decisions at the local level.”

The Michigan Education Association has also openly opposed the bill, calling it "another attempt to destroy public education and divert public taxpayer dollars to private, for-profit companies."

According to the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, there are 232 charter schools in Michigan and more than two-thirds of the schools have waiting lists. There are no charter schools in Birmingham.

The House bill differs from the version passed by the Senate, but the chambers could agree on changes and move to a final vote on the legislation as early as Thursday, the Huffington Post Detroit reported Wednesday night.