Emergency Use of Seclusion and Restraint
The approval of the State Department of Education’s revision of the Standards for the Emergency Use of Seclusion and Restraint (the original document was 10 years old) has been delayed for at least a month based on concerns by some Board members. The new version emphasizes positive behavior support and a special emphasis on training teachers in how to recognize children with potential behavior problems and the appropriate use of seclusion and restraint.
Concerns raised included the methods of seclusion and the forms of restraint that are currently being used, and, in some cases, misused.

The State Department of Education expressed a need to collect and analyze data about the current uses of seclusion and restraint in schools (little exists statewide). They also expressed a need for available resources and funding to train teachers.

The new policy would impact all students, not just special education students as it did in the past.

The State Department of Education will continue to revise the current version of the document based on Board input and submit the Emergency Use of Seclusion and Restraint for approval at a later date.

Strategic Goals and Priorities
The Board approved retaining its previous Strategic Goal of attaining substantial and meaningful improvement in academic achievement for all students/children with primary emphasis on high priority schools and students.

The Board then identified the following four goals for the coming months:

• Continue to advocate and promote high school reform
• Create a subcommittee to address the process for oversight of policies, procedures and evaluation of the State Board
• Review the teacher preparation and certification process
• Continue to work on solidifying the relationship between and among the State Board of Education, Michigan Department of Education and Intermediate school districts.

Michigan Educational Technology Plan
The Board adopted an eight-point educational technology plan designed to address statewide policies and practices, but not the technology plans of individual local educational agencies and intermediate school districts.

The eight objectives are leadership, digital citizenship, student learning, data-driven decisions, professional learning, broadband access, shared resources and funding.

The plan is designed to prepare students to become productive students in a global economy. Under the plan, every Michigan student will be proficient in technology and experience meaningful technology-enabled learning opportunities. Every educator will use data effectively for classroom decision-making and school improvement planning. And every classroom will have broadband Internet access either through cable, DSL, satellite or wireless capabilities.

www.michigan.gov/documents/Item_U_151905_7.pdf

Social Studies
The grade level content expectations for social studies have been returned to the Department of Education following a national review. Based on the suggestions from the national review, modifications will be made before they go to the State Board of Education for final approval in June, 2006.

Science
Subject area content expectations for science are scheduled to be brought to the May, 2006 State Board of Education meeting for approval.

English Language Arts and Mathematics
Subject area content expectations for English language arts and mathematics are currently under a national review.

High School Course Content Expectations
In proposed high school graduation requirement legislation, specific courses are identified for all students. The course content expectations for these required courses will be developed by the Department by August of 2006. They are in the areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. At the present time, there are no plans to develop content expectations for courses in the arts, physical and health education.

Career Development in a Global Economy
The Michigan Department of Education has been working on a Microsoft grant with the Michigan Virtual High School to offer a free on-line (available to all high school students) course (5-7 weeks in duration) on Career Development in a Global Economy.

It is expected that course credit will not be given for this experience.

School Performance Indicators
March 31st is the deadline for schools to report on the11 School performance Indicators for this year. 65% of the schools have already responded. For the 2007 school year, new rubrics, based in benchmarks, are planned. They will be piloted with 90 schools before they are released for use by the schools.

Parent’s Guide for Sixth Grade Mathematics
The Grade Level Content Expectations Parent’s Guide for Sixth Grade Mathematics
In a multiple copy format, this guide is available from the Office of School Improvement on the Michigan Department of Education website. The goal of the guide is to state in clear terms what students are expected to know and be able to do. In the future, the Department is planning to offer this and other parent’s guides in Spanish and Arabic.

Monies for Fingerprinting and Background Checks for All School Employees
HB 5609 provides 17.5 million to reimburse school districts for conducting fingerprinting and background checks for all employees and contractors hired before January 1, 2006. The money could also be used for the reimbursement of live scan printing devices. It also directs the Michigan Department of Education and the State Police to work together to develop a statewide plan for the timely completion of background checks.

School Safety Legislation
2005 Public Act 129-31 and 138 became effective January 1, 2006 and applies to local and intermediate school districts, public school academies and nonpublic schools. It defines a school safety zone and prohibits individuals convicted of a listed offense, with some exceptions, from residing, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of school property.

It also specifies that districts shall not employ, in any capacity, an individual who has been convicted of a listed offense (a crime that requires registration as a sex offender). A district may employ an individual who has been convicted of a non-listed felony offense only if the superintendent and school board each specifically approve the employment or work assignment in writing.

The names of all school employees (provided by the Michigan Department of Education) were checked against the criminal conviction list generated by the Michigan State Police.

When the list was released to local school districts, ISDs and public school academies for verification, it became apparent that there were many “false positives” and just plain inaccuracies. Court injunctions prevented the information on the list to be used and released to the news media.
The original list is being corrected and the State Department of Education and the Michigan State Police are currently devising a statewide plan to carry out the intent of the law for future use.

A new list will be made available in March or April. It will be based on a December 2005 submission of a list of all school personnel working in school districts, ISDs and public school academies and nonpublic schools at that time.

High School Graduation Requirements
Yesterday, 16 Mar 2006, Representatives of the State Department of Education are meeting with the chairs of the Senate and House Education Committees in an attempt to work out an agreement on the high school graduation requirement legislation. As soon as a final version of the legislation is agreed upon, Michigan ASCD will issue a special report of the to all Michigan ASCD members.

Conferences Scheduled to Address
Michigan’s New Content Expectations for
Mathematics and English Language Arts

Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Education are sponsoring two separate day-long conferences as a first step in disseminating Michigan’s new Content Expectations for Mathematics and English Language Arts. The new expectations provide a foundation for curriculum and assessment development that represents rigorous and relevant learning for ALL high school students. And, with rigorous statewide graduation requirements for ALL students pending in the Legislature, huge changes for school districts and high school students will need to get started as soon as possible.

Each program will provide a review of the content expectations by members of the development and review committees, time for participants to review and discuss the expectations, hear panel discussions on how the expectations will impact high school curriculum and instruction, and hear a discussion about what implementation steps are needed for both K-12 and post-secondary education.

New Content Expectations for
High School Mathematics
Tuesday, April 18, 2006

New Content Expectations for
High School English Language Arts
Friday, April 28, 2006

Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, MSU, East Lansing

See www.educ.msu.edu/k12out for agendas and registration brochures.

ASSIST (Advocating Strong Standards-based Induction Support for Teachers) project, is a unique resource designed by faculty at Michigan State University which is intended to provide meaningful professional development for new teachers during their induction years, and tools and resources for both new and experienced teachers to use as they work together in mentoring-learning relationships and for administrators responsible for implementing induction programs. ASSIST is a free web-based resource available to all educators in Michigan.

A one-day academy to introduce principals and other administrators to the ASSIST web-based tools and resources and provide basics for planning for comprehensive induction is scheduled for Friday, April 21, 2006, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, MSU. Visit the ASSIST website at http://assist.educ.msu.edu to see the agenda, explore the tools on the ASSIST Website, and to register. You may also register by phone at 517.353.8950.

This seminar is designed for district leaders and educators who want to understand the rationale, process, and benefits of curriculum mapping. During the workshop, participants will learn how curriculum mapping supports the efforts of schools/districts in refining instruction, promoting communication and collaboration, and aligning the curriculum to Michigan state standards and assessments.
Registration and detail information..