(courtesy image/used under Creative Commons license) Seven years ago, Michigan’s Democratic and Republican lawmakers arrived at a rare moment of consensus: They agreed to dramatically raise the bar for high school graduation. A two-bill package passed the Senate without dissent, and there was just a smattering of no votes in the 110-member House. Michigan […]
Michigan K-12 schools
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest commentary: Focus on quality of education, not on structure of schools
By Wendy Zdeb-Roper/Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals Whether it was the debate over charter and cyber schools or, most recently, the Oxford Foundation report and the Educational Achievement Authority, the conversation about education reform has been focused almost exclusively on who should educate Michigan students — rather than on the quality of the education being provided. […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Kindergarten retention, in current form, doesn’t help children
By Larry Schweinhart/HighScope Educational Research Foundation One of our conclusions from the 2012 Great Start Readiness Program Evaluation was that grade retention is a major state policy, made locally, that deserves serious study. Of students who had the Great Start program, 37 percent repeated a grade during their schooling, as compared to nearly half the comparison […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Leaders in high-retention districts make no apologies for kindergarten repeats
New Lothrop, a small school district in Shiawassee County, holds back more of its kindergartners for a second year than any district in the state — and its superintendent makes no apologies for it. “The bottom line is, we’re not going to promote kids if they’re not ready,” said New Lothrop Superintendent John Strycker. “We […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan’s 13,000 ‘redshirt’ kindergartners
Kindergarten classes in Escanaba and Dearborn are quite similar, with 5-year-olds wiggling in their chairs and brightly-colored artwork lining the walls. But when children walked out of those classrooms in the spring of 2011, they faced different futures. In Escanaba Area Public Schools, almost 40 percent of the children were told they weren’t moving on […]
Posted inTalent & Education
See how your school ranks on kindergarten repeats
Almost 14,000 kindergarten students were held back for a second year of kindergarten classes in the 2010-11 school year. A Bridge Magazine analysis of state data found wide disparities in the rates of such kindergarten retention, however. And these rates are not tied to academic success, poverty or other research factors. Districts in rural areas […]
Posted inTalent & Education
How often does your school hold back kindergartners?
Almost 14,000 kindergarten students were held back for a second year of kindergarten classes in the 2010-11 school year. A Bridge Magazine analysis of state data found wide disparities in the rates of such kindergarten retention, however. And these rates are not tied to academic success, poverty or other research factors. In some districts, one-third […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Education reform report will highlight ‘Issues & Ale’ event in Ferndale tonight
What do Michigan’s parents and residents want out of public schools? Where are the trouble spots? The bright spots? Tonight in Ferndale (just north of Detroit), the Center for Michigan and Michigan Radio are convening a panel of experts to discuss the findings in the Center’s new report, “The Public’s Agenda for Public Education.” This […]
Posted inTalent & Education
‘Issues & Ale’ series focuses on Center’s public education report
What do Michigan’s parents and residents want out of public schools? Where are the trouble spots? The bright spots? Next Tuesday night in Ferndale (just north of Detroit), the Center for Michigan and Michigan Radio are convening a panel of experts to discuss the findings in the Center’s new report, “The Public’s Agenda for Public […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Charter school boards need more training, guidance
By Gary Sands Since the new Legislature convened in January, more than 40 bills related to public education have been introduced. These bills cover a wide range of topics, from funding for pre-kindergarten programs to high school graduation requirements. There is clearly widespread interest in maintaining and improving the quality of elementary and secondary education […]
