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The good news is Benton Harbor High will remain open this year despite threats by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to close it. The bad news is its test scores are among the state’s worst.
With the new state school superintendent stating firmly he wants the troubled high school to remain open, pressure may build on Michigan officials to find a way to resolve issues with Benton Harbor.
As veteran teachers flee the troubled district, Benton Harbor officials will try to sell Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on giving them at least four years to fix their struggling high school.
Benton Harbor is in danger of losing its high school because of poor academic performance and debilitating debt. A former state superintendent says the district’s struggles should be a wake-up call for Michigan.
The state of Michigan released details of its one-year extension to the impoverished West Michigan school district. Improve performance of its high school or it will be closed next year and students sent to neighboring districts.
Bold or reckless? Confounding or strategic? Whitmer’s surprise recommendation to close Benton Harbor High School offers clues about her governing style.
Friday was supposed to be the day Benton Harbor learned if its high school would remain open. Instead, the district and Michigan officials may still be seeking a resolution other than dissolving the district.
The governor is getting pushback from city activists. Meanwhile, it appears the administration may be able to dissolve the district without help from the Legislature if local officials balk at closing the high school.
The anguish Benton Harbor is undergoing now was felt by Albion residents six years ago. Today, Albion students, attending a high school 13 miles away, are graduating at a higher clip.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to close the high school in Benton Harbor because of low academic achievement and high debt. A State Board of Education member (and fellow Democrat) makes a case for investing in the struggling district, rather than closing the high school.
Teachers blame administrators. Administrators blame the board. The board blames the state. Caught in the middle are students saddled with devastatingly low rates of achievement.
