LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — Despite almost unanimous opposition from public school organizations and the State Board of Education, both legislative chambers have approved a bill that would give public schools and A to F grade.
Each School would be graded on five different criteria: scores on the M-step proficiency test, student growth, graduation rates, English-as-second-language learners and academic performance when compared to similar districts.
Sponsor Tim Kelly says the current dashboards used by the State Board aren’t easy to read, and this is easy to understand.
It took a late night session in the House and hours of personal lobbying by the Governor in the Senate to scrape up the votes to get it passed.
The State Board of Education believes it may violate Federal law and could cost them Federal funding.
It was a measure backed by Charter Schools, and the Governor.
Republican State Senators Margaret O’Brien, Bill Nofs and Rick Jones joined Democrats in opposing the legislation.
(copy written by John McNeill)
