Bipartisan legislation is intended to better identify areas where teachers are struggling and get them the training and support they need to improve. Historically, nearly all teachers have received high evaluations even though Michigan is among the bottom tier of states on national tests.
Chastity Pratt
Chastity Pratt is a former reporter for Bridge.
Posted inMichigan Government
A-F grades for schools
Michigan currently uses a confusing, color-coded system for grading the performance of its public schools. Some lawmakers want the state to convert to an A-F grading system that they say is easier for parents and educators to understand.
Posted inMichigan Government
First meeting of Detroit financial review board on Wednesday
Gov. Rick Snyder appoints New York’s Richard Ravitch to head a nine-member commission that will oversee Detroit’s finances post-bankruptcy.
Posted inMichigan Government
Election Day Playbook: What to watch for tonight
Woody Allen once famously said that “80 percent of success is just showing up.” But Dems would probably settle for half that as they seek to unseat an incumbent governor.
Posted inTalent & Education
Smartest kids: What Michigan schools can learn from leading states
Students from Minnesota to Florida are learning more. Is Michigan ready to do something about it?
Posted inTalent & Education
National education leader: Business must lead fight in Michigan
Bridge sat down with Kati Haycock, founder of the Education Trust in Washington, D.C., to talk about reversing Michigan’s decline and what schools can do for low-income kids when parents aren’t in the game.
Posted inTalent & Education
Smartest kids: Ignoring outcry, Massachusetts leaders chose excellence
Tough standards, targeted funding and a difficult test that every student must pass have elevated Massachusetts to the top of the class.
Posted inTalent & Education
Smartest kids: Massachusetts charter schools are few but mighty
Charters in the Bay State are fulfilling the promise of bringing innovation and performance to public education. The state keeps a tight rein on who can open charters and sets high standards for schools to remain open.
Posted inMichigan Government
Obamacare giveth, but courts could taketh away
A federal court case could set the stage for the repeal of Obamacare tax credits, and drastically raise health-care costs for 250,000 Michigan residents. A final decision is likely a year away.
Posted inMichigan Government
Q&A: Home is what you make it
There are many cities that can be improved with planning that turns public spaces into the heart of those communities. Michigan’s “placemaking” chief explains how.