Granholm To Educators: Use These Leadership Positions
Speaking before the 13th Annual Governor's Education Summit — 21st Century Learning: A Foundation for a Prosperous Michigan, Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM pressed educators to help push her education agenda.
"If we don't make these changes, we'll look back and say 'what were we doing with these leadership positions," Granholm told the audience. "You're all in leadership positions or you wouldn't be here."
During her remarks, the governor pushed the education agenda she'd outlined in her 2008 State of the State Address and in her budget message. Key components are:
- A per pupil funding increase aimed at closing the gap between rich and poor districts (See related story on K-12 funding)
- Asking the legislature to make kindergarten mandatory and make it a full day to increase seat time.
- Asking the Legislature to increase the drop out age from 16 to 18.
- Asking the Legislature to provide $31 million to provide early childhood education services to an additional 6,000 to 7,000 kids.
During a press avail, Granholm told reporters that she's a "no" on the whole medical marijuana initiated legislation that was approved by the Board of State Canvassers on Monday.
"I'm the former Attorney General, the former Federal Prosecutor, I've prosecuted an awful lot of drug crimes," said Granholm. "I'm not in favor of legalization."
The governor was then asked if she "wants people to be in pain." She quickly responded: "I'm not in favor of opening the door the legalization," she responded.
The following is an excerpt from a question and answer session the governor held with reporters following her remarks.
Q. How hard is it going to be to transform the way people are taught in this century?
A. You know we have begun that process by raising the standard for every single child in the State of Michigan. It used to be that the kids in Lansing and kids in Detroit were all taught different things.
Now every child in the State of Michigan is required to take four years of math in high school, three years of science, three years of English and a foreign language. We're the only state in the country to require an on-line learning experience.
So, we have set the bar high and we're one of the top states in the Country. The question is how do we support these districts in helping these kids to jump over that high bar and that's why you have to look at the whole spectrum from early childhood all the way to adult learning.
Q. Some parents are starting to panic as we get the first quarter results in; your response to those parents?
A. Right. I think the school districts need to provide additional assistance in tutoring. Some school districts, for example, the schools we saw in Chicago provided two periods of math when they raised the standards so there is more time learning this important subject. The same with science.
Q. Do you think if schools are getting $7,500 per pupil they should be expected to provide a full day of kindergarten?
A. We are paying for kindergarten class right now. I think all districts should prioritize early childhood education to pay for that full day kindergarten class.
