Armed with the recently released federal guidelines for the “Race to the Top” educational program, the House Education Committee this week continued their deliberations on legislation designed to ensure Michigan complies with the program. The week also saw the introduction of two more legislative proposals intended to be part of the state’s response.

The President and the Governor are on board. The Michigan Federation of Teachers is not.

With $500 million in "Race to the Top" dollars dangling in front of the state, the House Education Committee is considering a dramatic rewrite of the state's long-standing teacher tenure laws and the MFT is not signing off.

Asked if the tenure changes were needed, lobbyist Louise SOMALSKI said, "No, we don't need" them.

That will not be music to the Governor's ears. In Mt. Pleasant on Thursday, she said linking teacher tenure to test scores from students "makes sense."

With federal guidelines for the U.S. Department of Education's "Race to the Top" program in their hands, lawmakers in the House continued discussion Thursday as to what reforms the state should pass to improve schools and qualify for the federal funding.

And two more bills were dropped into the package being debated: The bills, which were introduced Wednesday, require pupil achievement to be part of a school employee's job performance review and allow the Department of Human Services to open up a child negligence case if parents don't ensure their kids attend school regularly.

November 17, 2009

Representative Tim Melton
N-793 House Office Building

P.O. Box 30014

Lansing, MI 48909-7514

Dear Representative Melton,

Thank you for asking for our thoughts regarding mandated principal certification. I understand your interest comes for expectations as part of Michigan’s efforts to win dollars coming available through the Race-to-the-Top, USDOE.