State Board Reaffirms Its Support for Key Policies that Advance Michigan Education

Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Communications 517-241-4395

Agency: Education

April 12, 2012

LANSING ? The State Board of Education this week unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming its support of four essential education policy positions that will help move Michigan schools forward, and asked the state Legislature to support these positions, as well.

The four essential pillars are:

• The Michigan Department of Education's plan for an orderly transition from the "paper and pencil" MEAP test to an online assessment system linked to rigorous state learning standards (including the Smarter Balanced Assessment) in the 2014-2015 school year
  
• Performance-based funding, focused on student progress
  
• Maintenance of the rigor required in the Michigan Merit Curriculum
  
• Michigan Department of Education staffing as requested in the Executive Budget to support a strong Department that implements State Board of Education policies, and state and federal legislation.
  

"These all are keystones to continue moving Michigan schools forward," said State Board of Education President John C. Austin.

"The State Board has worked collaboratively with both Governor Snyder and Governor Granholm to construct a thoughtful and sequential system of education achievement and accountability," Austin explained. "We can't start weakening the gains we've made thus far, and we can't hit the brakes on the momentum we are building."

State Board members will continue to advocate for these positions with members of the state Legislature, as legislators continue to deliberate on the state's education budgets and reform bills.