EDITORIAL: State needs to pass school reform bills
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
By The Oakland Press
The Michigan Legislature is coming down to the wire on some major educational reforms. The changes are badly needed but giving them extra urgency and prominence is the fact that if approved, they could bring in some additional federal education funds.
Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, chairman of the House Education Committee, says the regulations are in a joint House-Senate conference committee and that lawmakers agree on 90 percent of them. Melton is looking for compromise on the other 10 percent and we urge the legislators to be accommodating.
The proposed changes are common sense and we believe would help improve the state’s educational system. But they need to be passed Thursday, before the Legislature adjourns for the holidays.
One of the more controversial regulations requires that administrator and teacher evaluations and raises be based, in part, on student performance. Since it’s an educator’s job to teach youngsters, why not pay them based on how well their students learn?
Another regulation would create an alternative certification route for teachers that allows for groups such as Teach for America, and the New Teacher Project to come to Michigan. These are nationally known organizations that have stellar reputations for educating children.
The legislation would allow for the closing of charter schools whose students aren’t performing well and mandates kindergarten for 5-year-olds who turn 5 on or before Sept. 1.
One area still in discussion would give individual schools, among the lowest 5 percent performing schools in the state, the ability to begin the school year prior to Labor Day. The prohibition on holding classes the Friday before Labor Day would remain in effect for all schools.
A state law passed in 2005 requires public schools to start classes after Labor Day so families could extend summer vacations and tourism-related businesses could have teen workers available into early September. It was a provision sought mainly by Michigan tourism interests, along with the agriculture industry.
We certainly support the tourist and farming interests. But this is a reasonable regulation that wouldn’t be a bad option for all school districts, not just the low performing ones.
Melton says another regulation some legislators are balking at is raising the dropout age from 16 to 18. Those opposed are concerned about the possible extra cost, but today’s young people need all the education they can get and requiring them to go until age 18 is just prudent.
All of the changes are geared, in part, to qualify Michigan for up to $400 million in federal aid through President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top competition.
But as Melton says, and we agree, “I would support these reforms even if we don’t get the federal funds. This is 20 years of reform in a year.”
We urge our lawmakers to approve these reasonable changes in our educational system, first because they are badly needed, and second, because they may help Michigan garner some available federal funds. The money certainly is badly needed.
Melton is adamant about passing the entire package of bills, at least in some reasonable form.
“I will find a compromise. I’m not going to let this die,” he says.
Good. We hope he’s successful.
Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, chairman of the House Education Committee, says the regulations are in a joint House-Senate conference committee and that lawmakers agree on 90 percent of them. Melton is looking for compromise on the other 10 percent and we urge the legislators to be accommodating.
The proposed changes are common sense and we believe would help improve the state’s educational system. But they need to be passed Thursday, before the Legislature adjourns for the holidays.
One of the more controversial regulations requires that administrator and teacher evaluations and raises be based, in part, on student performance. Since it’s an educator’s job to teach youngsters, why not pay them based on how well their students learn?
Another regulation would create an alternative certification route for teachers that allows for groups such as Teach for America, and the New Teacher Project to come to Michigan. These are nationally known organizations that have stellar reputations for educating children.
The legislation would allow for the closing of charter schools whose students aren’t performing well and mandates kindergarten for 5-year-olds who turn 5 on or before Sept. 1.
One area still in discussion would give individual schools, among the lowest 5 percent performing schools in the state, the ability to begin the school year prior to Labor Day. The prohibition on holding classes the Friday before Labor Day would remain in effect for all schools.
A state law passed in 2005 requires public schools to start classes after Labor Day so families could extend summer vacations and tourism-related businesses could have teen workers available into early September. It was a provision sought mainly by Michigan tourism interests, along with the agriculture industry.
We certainly support the tourist and farming interests. But this is a reasonable regulation that wouldn’t be a bad option for all school districts, not just the low performing ones.
Melton says another regulation some legislators are balking at is raising the dropout age from 16 to 18. Those opposed are concerned about the possible extra cost, but today’s young people need all the education they can get and requiring them to go until age 18 is just prudent.
All of the changes are geared, in part, to qualify Michigan for up to $400 million in federal aid through President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top competition.
But as Melton says, and we agree, “I would support these reforms even if we don’t get the federal funds. This is 20 years of reform in a year.”
We urge our lawmakers to approve these reasonable changes in our educational system, first because they are badly needed, and second, because they may help Michigan garner some available federal funds. The money certainly is badly needed.
Melton is adamant about passing the entire package of bills, at least in some reasonable form.
“I will find a compromise. I’m not going to let this die,” he says.
Good. We hope he’s successful.
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