March 2, 2004

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said she has proposed language in the School Aid Fund budget requiring that some teacher professional development programs be used to help ensure that students are making academic progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

This is the first time Michigan will ask that professional development funds be used for a specific purpose, in this case, to ensure that children are making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as defined by the law. The Governor has sent a letter to all Michigan public school superintendents announcing her proposal. Currently, school districts are required to provide 1,098 instructional hours for students. Schools may count up to 51 hours of professional development toward their 1,098 overall hours. Under the new proposal, only hours used to achieve AYP goals may be counted as instructional hours.

Granholm said the new policy codifies best practices that already exist in Michigan schools.

"Wherever I go in Michigan, I am impressed by the commitment of educators who use each new round of test data to analyze their students’ learning, devise new teaching strategies, and seek appropriate professional development opportunities," she said. "With this new requirement, we’re turning best practices into state policy."

Granholm said her proposal aims to arm teachers with the knowledge, ideas, and information they need to improve student performance.

"Michigan children deserve a first-class education, and our teachers deserve professional development that treats them like professionals, offering fresh ideas, new approaches, and cutting edge tools to address student performance in the classroom," Granholm said. "Helping our teachers be successful ensures that our children will be prepared for the economic opportunities of the 21st century."

In February, the most recent state report cards on Michigan schools showed that 896 out of 3,472 schools were not making Adequate Yearly Progress.

The Administration already has taken steps to ensure that all schools and all students are making academic progress. Last year, the Governor’s Children Action Network piloted a program to establish Family Resource Centers in 20 schools around the state. The centers directly deliver the services of the Family Independence Agency to the students and their families. In her State of the State Address in January, the Governor proposed opening 20 more Family Resource Centers in 2004. The Governor also said that the Department of Education would continue to use its Principals Academy to strengthen education administrators at schools failing to make AYP.

"Teachers are the catalysts for success in the classroom," said Granholm. "Our professional development programs must be geared toward giving teachers every tool to help our children succeed."

The Governor will visit with teachers in different regions of the state starting tomorrow in Lansing to discuss their professional development activities aimed at meeting AYP and to talk about sharing their best practices with other schools. She also is planning visits to Saginaw, Grand Rapids and Detroit.