Governor Rick Snyder has signed a law that allows students in Highland Park to transfer to another district or to a charter school now that the Highland Park district has run out of money. The Legislature approved the measure Thursday.
The district was unable to meet this week’s payroll, although teachers still showed up for work.
The new law allows several hundred Highland Park students to make a mid-year transfer to another district or a charter school -- paid for with a $4,000 state grant. It’s not known how many students and their families could or would take the opportunity.
Highland Park schools were under the control of a state-appointed manager. But the manager had to step down after a judge ruled the review team that recommended a state takeover violated Michigan’s open meetings law. It will be next week before the governor can re-appoint the emergency manager.
After that, the new law also allows the emergency manager to use the per-student stipend to pay another district or a charter school operator to hold classes in Highland Park schools.