On the heels of a budget recommendation that includes a $470-per-pupil funding cut, and referencing statics that show only 16-percent of students graduation from Michigan schools are prepared for college, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder unveiled his plans to reform the state’s education system in a Special Message to the Legislature delivered Wednesday from the Southeast Michigan United Way in Detroit.
Snyder explained that the financial crisis facing as many as 23 school districts, including the Detroit Public Schools, are so significant that Emergency Financial Managers are likely to be appointed.
Six of the eight State Board of Education members and State Superintendent of Schools Mike Flanagan listened as Governor Snyder outlined a significant list of initiatives and called on the Legislature to complete the reform by the 4th of July. The full text of the Governor message, as well as other information, is available here.
The Governor’s plan includes:
· Increased health care insurance cost contributions from employees
· A statewide anti-bullying policy
· Tougher teacher certification requirements
· Lifting the charter school cap in troubled districts
· Expanded schools of choice
· Reform of the teacher tenure program
· Dashboards for all districts
· Opening non-instructional service contracts for bid by intermediate school districts (ISDs) and neighboring school districts
Regarding the tenure program reform, many expected the Governor to call for complete elimination. Rather, Snyder’s plan would have all teachers begin on a 5-year probationary period and be awarded tenure for three years of effective service. The criteria for “effective service” would include measures of student success. Two consecutive years of “ineffective” service would warrant termination under the plan.