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Social Studies High School Content Expectations

At their June meeting, the State Board of Education postponed the adoption of the Social Studies Content Expectations for High School. Initially the State Board and Department of Education promised that all the Content Expectations for the newly required high school courses would be completed and ready for approval at the August State Board of Education meeting even though the law only required the completion of the algebra and the technology programs by that date. The Department accepted suggestions from the Board of Education for content and process issues in developing the Social Studies Content Expectations. When the deliberations for the high school content standards in social studies resumes, it will probably be within the context of developing the entire social studies content expectations for K-12.

Bullying Issues

The State Board of Education is developing an anti-bullying model policy and is urging that the legislature create legislation to make it mandatory for school districts to have an anti-bullying policy. If the latter is not done, then the State Board of Education will send out its model policy and urge all school districts to adopt an anti-bullying policy for their school district.

High School Placement

The State Board of Education officially supported legislation (HB 5479) that gives township planning officials input into the sites of new high schools.

New Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) Organizational Seats

Public Act 137 permitted additional membership on the SEAC, allowing the addition of critical general education voices. The two recommended organizations for addition by SEAC are the Michigan Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (Michigan ASCD) and the Michigan Association of Secondary Principals (MASSP).

Judy Dorsch Backes will represent Michigan ASCD and Claudia Werner will represent MASSP on the Committee.

Early College

The State Board of Education adopted a series of recommendations designed to increase dual enrollment and other additional college experiences for high school students. The goal is to make dual enrollment more accessible to a broader range of students.

By 2010, the recommendations call for six new Early College High Schools and six Middle College High Schools in the state. The recommendations also call for new data collection to ensure that the offered programs are being used and that the students attending the dual enrollment courses are succeeding in them.

Schools of Education to get Grades

In an effort to ensure high quality teachers in every classroom, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a measure that will grade the state’s college and universities schools of education by issuing annual report cards. The report cards will grade schools on programs; the number of graduates passing the teacher certification test; the number of students graduating in six years; surveys of school districts hiring teachers, and how well the college and university recruits minority students and math, science and special education majors.

Measuring Student Achievement Progress

The Michigan Department of Education can begin measuring student progress on the MEAP and the MI-Access with the fall 2006 assessment cycles, as it will be the first time in which two consecutive yearly assessments have been administered in Math, Reading, and Writing for students in adjacent grades 3 through 8. The measurement of student progress will be based on a value table for measuring student and school (aggregate) progress.

Single Sex Classroom

SB 1296 would allow public school districts to create single sex schools that would ensure equal opportunities. The program would be optional. The bill passed in the Senate and has the support of the Governor.

Early Out for State Employees

HB 6117 would create a new early “buy out” for state employees whose years of employment plus their age add up to at least 80.

The 65% Solution

HB 4975 would amend the Revised School Code to require at least 65% of a school district’s general operating budget for the school fiscal year to be expended for instruction. Instruction includes an activity dealing directly with interaction between pupils and teachers or other instructional personnel, tutors, books, computers, general instruction supplies, instructional aides, and learning support staff. It also includes school activities such as field trips, athletics, arts and multi-disciplinary learning.

School Board Elections

HB 4744 would amend the Michigan Election Law to require that school board and village elections be held in November. School Board members would have to be elected in the November regular election date in both odd and even years; the general November election date; or, the odd year general November election date.