March 27, 2015, budget

Capital News Service Budget – March 27, 2015
To: CNS Editors
From: Perry Parks & Sheila Schimpf
http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/. For technical problems, contact CNS tech manager Tanya Voloshina (248-943-8979) voloshin@msu.edu.
You can email us at cnsmsu@gmail.com.
CNS ALUM HONORED: CNS alum Derek Wallbank will be honored in May when he receives the MSU College of Communication Arts & Sciences’ 2015 Rising Star Alumni Award. Wallbank, a spring 2006 CNS correspondent, covers Congress for Bloomberg in Washington.
HERE’S YOUR FILE (ALL FILES NOT LINKED ARE ATTACHED):
SCHOOLEXPULSION: A bill recently introduced in the Michigan Senate would automatically expel any student who threatens the life of a school employee or volunteer. We speak with the Grand Rapids-area senator who introduced the bill, a Sturgis superintendent who is unhappy with it, and a state official who explains Michigan’s expulsion appeals policy. By Josh Thall. FOR LANSING, HOLLAND, STURGIS, BLISSFIELD, THREE RIVERS & ALL POINTS.
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SCHOOLSECURITY: The Michigan State Police recently awarded $4 million in grants to schools across Michigan to increase school security. We speak to school officials and Sheriff’s departments across the state to see how this grant money will be spent. By Collin Krizmanich. For LEELANAU, TRAVERSE CITY, LANSING CITY PULSE, MANISTEE, GRAND RAPIDS AND ALL POINTS.
POLICEROADBILL: Proposal 1 to fix Michigan’s roads has been hotly debated, but one group is taking a strong stance in its favor: law enforcement. Automobile-related incidents are the leading cause of death among law officers, and many police officials say fixing roads will make their workplace safer. We speak to the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police about the impact the proposal could have on police officer safety. By Cheyna Roth. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE, TRAVERSE CITY, LAKE COUNTY, PETOSKEY, LEELANAU, MANISTEE, DETROIT, AND ALL POINTS.
w/ROADBILLGRAPHIC — How a pothole forms, courtesy of the Michigan Department of Transportation
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12HOURSHIFTS: Many police officers prefer working 12-hour shifts because they mean more days off. But although departments appreciate the cost savings, these shifts can result in fatigued officers and decreased community relationships. We talk to members of law enforcement and a sleep experts to see the impact of working for half a day. By Cheyna Roth. FOR ALL POINTS.
STUDENTHEALTH: Good health is essential for student learning, but each of Michigan’s schools have unique resources and challenges when it comes to improving health services and education. We talk to the central Upper Peninsula regional health coordinator, the Newberry school principal, an Ishpeming school principal, and state education experts to hear about solutions to students’ varying health needs. By Elizabeth Ferguson. FOR MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. MARIE, LANSING CITY PULSE, AND ALL POINTS.
FORESTPRODUCTS: Experts think Michigan’s vast forestry could provide much more economic growth by producing saleable products in addition to raw materials. A new proposal to study this expansion is being planned by the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Initiative, headed up by a professor at Michigan Technological University. We talk to this professor about the proposal’s details and to Longyear forest management company to hear how these forest resources can be better used. By Elizabeth Ferguson. FOR MARQUETTE, BAY MILLS, SAULT STE. MARIE, ALPENA, HARBOR SPRINGS, PETOSKEY, AND ALL POINTS.
GERRYMANDERINGINMICHIGAN: Every 10 years following the census, district lines are redrawn across the state. In Michigan, the legislature controls the redrawing of these district maps — and the results have been lopsided election results. We talk to political scientists and legislators and discuss the problems with gerrymandering and possible solutions. By Collin Krizmanich. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE AND ALL POINTS.
w/ GERRYMANDERINGRAPHIC — Michigan’s 14th Congressional District: In 2014 Democrat Brenda Lawrence received more than 77 percent of the vote. Often cited as an example of gerrymandering. Source: nationalatlas.gov
TEACHERPREP: A lack of knowledge on Common Core standards has proven difficult for prospective teaching students, since the exam required to even get into their school’s teaching program is based largely on the new standards. The entry test’s pass rate of 31 percent is not necessarily surprising: Teachers already in the field may be having similar issues as districts are spotty in preparing them to teach the new standards. We talk to the Michigan Education Association and experts in Grand Rapids and Central and Northern Michigan universities. By Brooke Kansier. FOR ALL POINTS
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MATHHELP: Studies find that many commonly used math textbooks are missing an average of one quarter of necessary Common Core requirements. With math textbooks essential to teachers creating lesson plans, teachers are faced with a problem — and MSU has a solution. Released earlier this month, the Textbook Navigator is a free, web-based program that helps teachers understand what parts of the Common Core are found where in their textbook, and what chapters can be skipped. By Brooke Kansier. FOR ALL POINTS