State Board Supports Reform Initiatives In Governor Snyder's Education Message

Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Communications 517.241.4395

Agency: Education

May 11, 2011
 
LANSING - The State Board of Education welcomes Governor Rick Snyder's leadership in making thoughtful education improvement and reform a priority, and is pleased with his outreach to, and welcoming of, the advice of the State Board and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
 
At Tuesday's monthly meeting, the State Board unanimously approved a resolution commending the Governor's Special Message on Education Reform. Board President John C. Austin noted that the Governor's Message incorporates many of the recommendations made to Snyder and the Legislature by the State Board of Education in February, including proposals for:

• Policies that incent and reward performance on education outcomes, including helping all students make yearly progress, graduate students without need of remediation, and  reward schools that realize student appropriate achievement and growth;
   
  
• An enhanced focus on early childhood development and improving early childhood learning outcomes through consolidation of early childhood programs and resources into a single office of early childhood education;
   
  
• Legislative adoption of a new school accreditation system that provides an honest assessment of where our schools stand;
   
  
• Support for every student being able to accelerate at his/her own pace and realize early - post secondary learning opportunities, and better plan for and realize post-secondary credentials;
   
  
• Increased access to quality distance and blended learning options;  
   
  
• Significant improvements in the way we "prepare, support, evaluate and reward teachers," including:
   
  
  • Refashioning teacher certification to reflect the ability to deliver the Common Core standards; and raising the bar for teacher competency as we have for students;
    
  • Develop and use effective assessments of teacher performance;
    
  • Revising Michigan's continuing education requirements to better reflect teacher skill building;
    
  • Implement alternative certification for teachers, and administrator training and certification;
    
  • Implement a performance-based credential for excellent teachers to reward and afford satisfying careers for teachers as mentors and instructional leaders; and
     
    
• The Michigan Legislature passing meaningful state anti-bullying legislation, ideally calling on them to implement the State Board of Education's model policy for districts.

In the resolution, the State Board and Michigan Department of Education stated their commitment "to fulfilling our Constitutional responsibility to lead education policy, and fully implement the education improvement agenda in these and other areas where we find common ground, and look forward to further collaboration in this important work."