legislation

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan Department of Education will learn this week if they have won the first round of Race to the Top funds. Click here to read the news brief.

FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS

The Michigan Department of Education is expected to learn this week
whether the state is a finalist in the federal competition to award
$4.35 billion in stimulus funds through the Race to the Top Program.

Here is the clarification of SB 981 language regarding Algebra II credit within approved CTE courses. Before reading, I advise you get refreshment. It will take awhile.

My read tells me their word says... know the law, use the overall HS math content expectations document in your decision (the big book--not the individual course/credit content expectations documents), within a group make a decision, let you conscience be your guide and "don't ask - don't tell."

Have your refreshment? Click below to read it.

Jim Ballard

Jim visits with Peter Spadafore, Assistant Director - Government Relations at Michigan Association of School Boards Listen in!

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By Diane McMillan
Associate Director

A  piece of legislation that is tucked into the RTTT bills could have real ramifications for secondary educators.  It is now Michigan law that, beginning with this year's 6th graders (the Class of 2016), the age for student compulsory attendance is 18.  This provision of the law closes the loop in educational policy that began with the college and career ready assessment, Michigan Merit Examination, the Michigan Merit Curruculum graduation requirements, and the high school content expectations.

November 17, 2009

Public Comment
Office of Career and Technical Education
Michigan Department of Education
P.O. Box 31712
Lansing, MI 48909

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

RE: Career and Technical Education Reimbursed Programs (2009-041 ED)

The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals has reviewed the proposed rules as made available on the Department website.

The review committee did speak positively of the efforts made by those who developed these rules to make them more concise, provide flexibility, and steer the field to the direction of a strong Michigan workforce. As the proposed rules were reviewed an underlying question always came up, “Does Michigan have the structure in place to deal with these changes?”

September 10, 2009

Granholm Encourages Residents to Remember Heroes of September 11 by Lowering Flags, Moment of Silence

LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm is encouraging Michigan citizens to remember victims and heroes of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. by lowering flags and observing a moment of silence Friday, September 11, which marks the eight-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

EDUCATION REFORMS NEEDED BY DECEMBER

Legislative leaders have said they should have a compromise by the end of the year to address struggling schools, but that may be too late to help with applications for federal funds.

Applications for federal Race to the Top grant funds require some authority for the state to intervene in the lowest performing schools. The legislation to allow that in Michigan will have to be completed by December 1 for Michigan to qualify for a chunk of those funds, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan as the State Board of Education heard presentations on current programs and legislative proposals Wednesday.

See Jim's quote under Myth No. 5.

Myths undercut efforts to boost Michigan's high school standards

  (Click here to read)

AMBER ARELLANO

Source: MIRS News

The House committee reported legislation (HB 4410*) that would allow Algebra II to be replaced with financial literacy course. The bill would still require four credits of math to graduate and would allow up to three of those credits to be embedded in a career and technical education course.

For students struggling with math, the committee also reported legislation (HB 4511*) that allows them to enter a personalized curriculum, which could include dropping the Algebra II requirement, earlier in their high school career.

This morning the Michigan Senate passed MASSP's Senate Bill 698.

Here is the bill: (Bold print is the new language and [denotes removed language].)