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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Performance Standards for MI-Access Participation and Supported Independence Version 1.5 Assessments
Tentative performance standards for the new MI-Access participation and Supported Independence Version 1.5 assessments were presented to the SBE.  Mi-Access is Michigan’s alternative assessment program for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the MEAP or MME assessments.  The SBE will approve the standards at their June, 2007 meeting.  In June 2006, the U.S. Education Department (USED) stated that the original MI-Access Participated and Independence assessments did not meet all the required criteria for alternative assessments. For the USED to approve these assessments for No Child Left Behind accountability purposes, new assessments had to be developed.

Michigan Test for Teacher Certification
The SBE received a Michigan Department of Education Report on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) performance—the state tests that educators take to become certified teachers in Michigan.  The report indicated that from September 2005 until August 2006, nearly 86 percent of the individuals who took a teacher certification test passed it the first time they took it; and nearly 90 percent passed the test at a subsequent testing.  There are currently 70 specific curriculum areas that are tested for certification.

Dr. Jeremy M. Hughes Retires
Dr. Jeremy Hughes, Deputy Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer retired from the Michigan Department of Education. Dr. Hughes came to the Michigan Department of Education in 2002 and was the Interim Superintendent from March 10, 2005 to July, 2005.  He will be replaced by Dr. Sally Vaughn, Superintendent of Livingston Educational Service Agency.

Dr. Yvonne Caamal Canul Retires
Dr. Yvonne Caamal Canul (Goudreault), Director of the Office of School Improvement in the Michigan Department of Education has announced her retirement. She began her teaching career in the Lansing School District in 1974 and for the next 30 years, was a teacher at the elementary, junior, and high school levels, director of bilingual and migrant programs, a high school assistant principal, the founder and principal of Lansing’s first focus school, and Director of Curriculum, Assessment, and Professional Development, where she designed and initiated core content area Pacing Guides and quarterly assessment program.   For three years, Yvonne was on loan to the Michigan Department of Education serving as the coordinator of the Partnership for Success program where she developed an intensive technical assistance framework for high priority schools, and lastly served as Director of the Office of School Improvement at MDE.  

Reviewers Needed for Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Provider Applications
Educators are encouraged to offer to review Supplemental Educational Services Provider Application for 2007-08.  All past providers as well as new applicants will be reviewed. 
Applicants must be available all day on June 13th and 14th at Genesee ISD in Flint.  For more information, contact Regina Allen at 517-335-6738 or AllenRR@michigan.gov.

Career, Technical Education back in the Department of Education
Governor Granholm signed Executive Order 2007-4 to move the career and technical education programs from the Department of Labor and Economic growth back to the department of education.    The programs were moved from the Department of Education by Governor John Engler 10 years ago.

End-of-Course Exams for Algebra I and Geometry
Staff of the Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability (OEAA) now have prototypes for Algebra I and Geometry end-of-course exams ready for use by local school districts. The exams are available through OEAA Secure Site which can be accessed by each district’s MEAP coordinator.

These exams are being provided at the request of districts that would like a state instrument to verify the rigor of their classes or for student assessment, and not as official state end-ofcourse exams. It is recommended that no more than 25% of students’ final grades be determined by this exam.

H.P.V. Vaccine Education Bills
SB 415 and SB 416 would provide schools with materials about the risks the human papillomavirus poses and the effectiveness, availability and potential risks of the vaccine
to prevent cervical cancer caused by the virus.  These bills are a compromise from earlier versions that would have required girls to either receive the vaccine, Gardasil, or notify the school that they weren’t going to get it.  The bills are expected to pass the Senate Health Policy Committee this week.

School Collective Bargaining
The House Labor Committee reported out controversial legislation (on a 7-4 party line vote) that allows contracting decisions to be part of the school collective bargaining process, doing away with unilateral authority of school administrators to decide whether to hire outside parties for non-instructional services such as janitorial work or transportation. 

HB 4533 amends the Public Employee Relations Act to allow decisions about whether to contract with a third party for non-instructional services to be included in collective bargaining between a union and public school.

HR 92 was also reported out.  It urges state departments or agencies that want to privatize state services to first do a cost-benefit analysis and submit it to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

The Education Budget
In a continuing standoff over a tax increase for the 2006-07 school year, a budget conference report continues to be blocked.  In the meantime, just about every school district in the state, working on the worst case budget scenario, has begun to lay off staff and cut instructional and non-instructional services.  June 30 is the last budget day for the 2006-07 school year and districts do not yet know if they will have to return money to the state from this year’s budget.  They also do not know what their budget for 2007-08 will be.  Since the passage of Proposal A, Michigan is essentially a state run school district in terms of revenue with most of districts’ budgets determined by the State legislature each year.

Stay tuned!

Limiting School Election Dates
In an effort to save money, Representative Chris Ward (R-Brighton) is urging the House Education Committee to take up HB 4507 which would require districts to hold their school board elections in November instead of the current option of choosing between four dates. 

Charter Schools
The mayor of Detroit’s call for up to 25 new charter schools in the city has sparked a renewed interest in HB 4043 that would allow a community college to act as an authorizing body for charter schools in Detroit.  Mayor Kilpatrick is currently working with Central Michigan University to authorize the proposed charter schools.  He envisions the schools to be partnerships between the city, cultural institutions and businesses to expand middle and high school opportunities within the city.

HB 4043 was introduced in January, but has not yet had a hearing.

               List of Science K-7 GLCE Group Reviews 2007

    Date        Math/Science Center (Location)                Time                    Contact Person