There’s a brawl brewing in Lansing over which test will replace MEAP. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) wants the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC). Business Leaders and the Chamber of Commerce want SBAC. Lawmakers in the legislature are divided. Some want SBAC but others are concerned about cost and the loss of control if we […]
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Today the House passed HB 5223 and 5224 a package of bills that tie teacher evaluations to student growth. This tweet from StudentsFirstMI says it all, Our StudentsFirst members got to thank Rep. Margaret O’Brien for her work on teacher evaluations. #MiLeg #edchat pic.twitter.com/fFmRtreK2o — StudentsFirst MI (@StudentsFirstMI) May 14, 2014 Teacher evaluations tied to […]
An excerpt of the The Michigan Revised School Code Act 451 of 1976 380.10 says, Rights of parents and legal guardians; duties of public schools. [M.S.A. 15.4010 ] Sec. 10. It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching, and education of their children. The public […]
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Update on “rebranding” of SBAC
Last week, I wondered if the Michigan Department of Education was rebranding Smarter Balanced (SBAC) as the “new” MEAP. Here’s a brief recap: Language was added to an appropriations bill (SB 775 and HB 5314) which would require Michigan to use a “new” MEAP for the next two years and then in 2016-17 Michigan must […]
When Common Core began receiving strong push back from parents across the nation, pro-Common Core advocate Mike Huckabee urged lawmakers to ““Rebrand it, refocus it, but don’t retreat.” Governors and state leaders have taken his advice to heart. Recently, Gov. Pence, rebranded the Common Core in Indiana. Is Michigan going to do the same thing […]
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The Quest for the Common Test
The United States is being transformed from a decentralized educational system to a national system from P-20 right before our eyes. In 2010, 45 states adopted Common Core, a standard of college readiness for math and English Language Arts. Logically, ONE common standard cannot have FIFTY state tests. The question became what test would become […]
A package of two bills, HB 5223 and HB 5224, passed out of the House Education committee this morning. The Detroit News reports, A House education committee gave quick approval Tuesday to a pair of bills that would create Michigan’s first statewide teacher evaluation system, putting concerns to rest — for the moment — that […]
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Teacher evaluations suffer setback!
Earlier I posted about the hearing on teacher evaluation (HB 5223, 5224) being held in Lansing today in the House Education Committee chaired by Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons. A vote was expected today which would have tied student assessment performance to teacher evaluations and further entrench common core in Michigan schools. The bills suffered a […]
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Teacher Evaluations and Common Core
How will the federal government make sure that teachers teach exactly what is prescribed in the Common Core? Easy, they will make their job depend on it and make sure that the schools of education comply or go out of business. In 2009, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said, “I want to be able to […]
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Pressure mounts to save SBAC
Lobbyists are working overtime to pressure lawmakers to continue funding the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAC). MIRS News Service reports, “A coalition of around 40 education and business groups are putting on a “full court” press to get the Smarter Balanced assessment for K-12 schools funded for the coming 2014-15 school year. Education Trust-Midwest, a non-profit […]