January 04, 2010
January 4, 2010
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed a five-bill legislative package that reforms Michigan's education system and allows the state to compete for up to $400 million in federal Recovery Act funds through President Obama's Race to the Top initiative. The state is finalizing its Race to the Top application which is due to the U.S. Department of Education by January 19.
"These reforms make it clear that improving student achievement will be the driving force in Michigan's education system," Granholm said. "We will make student academic growth a key part of how we evaluate teachers, principals and schools, and in the process, enable Michigan to successfully compete for federal Race to the Top funds."
The education reforms:
allow the state to intervene in the lowest-performing schools;
permit new high-quality charter schools to open if they meet certain standards, and permit the closure of low-performing charter schools;
require administrators to be certified;
require an annual evaluation of teachers and administrators using data on student growth;
create alternative routes to teacher certification to help bring the best and brightest into our classrooms;
raise the dropout age from 16 to 18, effective for the high school class of 2016.
"These education reforms will make it possible for children throughout Michigan to receive the first-class, 21st century education they need to compete in a global economy," Granholm said.
The bills signed by the governor today are House Bill 4787, sponsored by State Representative Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills); House Bill 4788, sponsored by State Representative Bert Johnson (D-Highland Park); House Bill 5596, sponsored by State Representative Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair Township); Senate Bill 926, sponsored by State Senator Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit); and Senate Bill 981, sponsored by State Senator Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland).
# # #
