The Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) is the unifying voice of Michigan's charter school movement, representing over 100,000 students and 5,000 teachers in more than 232 schools across the state.  Michigan's charter schools deliver achievement, choice and accountability in public education.  We advocate on behalf of charter schools with the legislature, the news media and the Michigan Department of Education, and we provide technical assistance to applicant groups working to start new charter schools.  MAPSA agrees that addressing the state's "dropout crisis" is among the most important public policy challenges facing the K-12 education community.  We strongly supports the state's new high school graduation requirements, and we believe holding children to rigorous and high academic standards will prepare them for either post-secondary education or the competitive jobs of our global economy.  http://www.charterschools.org/