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December 2009
MASSP Gives Support of MDE's RTT Application
Submitted by jim on Wed, 12/30/2009 - 3:41pmAttached is the Draft Race To Top proposal being developed by the Department of Education and a letter of support from MASSP for their plans.
AP and IB Test Fee Reductions
Submitted by jim on Wed, 12/30/2009 - 3:35pmThe State of Michigan has received the AP Test Fee Program grant from the United States Department of Education. The purpose of this grant is to increase the number of low income students who take advanced placement tests and International Baccalaureate exams for which college academic credit is awarded. The Elementary and Secondary act defines low income individual as a student who:
• Qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
• Receives assistance under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act.
AP training, testing, and grant news
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 1:54pmThe 2010 AP Fellows Program has been announced by the College Board. This grant is offered to finance (up to $1000) registration and expenses related to AP Summer Institute training AP teachers for the summer of 2010. Eligible teachers must work in a high school that has more than 50% ethnicity and/or 50% free/reduced-cost lunch eligibility. I’m counting over 120 such high schools in Michigan that would qualify. Deadline is February 15, 2010; visit http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/ap-grants/fellows
RTT Legislation - MASB Summary
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 1:38pmAttached is a summary of the the Race To The Top legislation prepared by the staff of MASB. There were a total of five bills in the RTT package.
RTT Language - The right of passage of 16 is gone for 6th graders and younger
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 1:22pmHB 4787 - Modifies the school age law beginning with this years (09-10) 6th graders (11 years old). These student may not drop out of school until 18. There are exceptions.
RTT Language - Personal Curriculum Changes: request, committee, Algebra II
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 1:07pmChange - A teacher, school counselor, or school employee qualified to act in a counseling role may contact a pupil’s parent or legal guardian to discuss the possibility and potential benefits of a personal curriculum under this subsection for the pupil.
Change - The teacher included in the group developing the personal curriculum shall be a teacher who is currently teaching the pupil, who currently teaches in or whose expertise is in a subject area being modified by the personal curriculum, or who is determined by the principal to have qualifications otherwise relevant to the group.
RTT Language - Certification Required for School Adminstrators
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 12:45pmCertification for school administrators
Sec. 1246. (1) A school district, public school academy, or intermediate school district shall not continue to employ a person as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or other person whose primary responsibility is administering instructional programs or as a chief business official unless the person meets 1 or more of the following requirements, as applicable:
RTT Language - Evaluate teachers and administrators on student performance
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 12:39pmEvaluate teachers and administrators based, in part, on student growth
Added to School Code as part of the Race To The Top legislation
Sec. 1249. With the involvement of teachers and school administrators, the board of a school district or intermediate school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall adopt and implement for all teachers and school administrators a rigorous, transparent, and fair performance evaluation system that does all of the following:
RTT Language Includes MASSP Algebra II Amendment
Submitted by jim on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 12:30pmSenate Bill 981 - one of the five bills completed in the late night legislative session before Christmas Break included the MASSP Algebra II language!
Sec. 1278a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or section 1278b, beginning with pupils entering grade 8 in 2006, the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the pupil meets all of the following:
(a) Has successfully completed all of the following credit requirements of the Michigan merit standard before graduating from high school:
