1. Current Education Legislation Update
RTTT and Michigan

2. RTTT and Michigan Legislation
What the heck happened? Why the rush?
Recession - Major economic downturn in 2008 – present
Standardized test scores comparing our students with the rest of the world have fallen significantly
Yikes!

3. NCES International Comparisons
Mean Scores in Mathematics – we placed in the 400s
15 year olds in the United States tested
Reading – middle third
Mathematics – bottom quarter
Science – bottom third
National Center for Education Statistics – reported in 2009 from Mistake from the Reading so they report scores from – but we know from more current research that Reading scores are down across the United States in all demographics.

4. How do we turn this around?
Education
Among other things. . .

5. Role of Government Local Values Hiring/Firing Purchases Community
Responsiveness
The Daily Details
Fewer dollars – fiscal manager
State
Content Standards
Standardize Professional Development
Data Collection (SLDS)
Support for Struggling Schools
BIG MONEY
Federal
Ensuring Equal Access to a free and appropriate education
Innovation and Influence
NCLB
Competition – RTTT
Fewer dollars 5

6. So here’s what happened:
States hold the legal responsibility to educate our country’s citizens
Therefore, in order for the federal government to have some influence and spur education innovation – they came up with Race to the Top
State’s would compete for money by instituting change and reform through legislation

7. RTTT: What were the goals of the Federal Government?
Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace;
Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals;
Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices; and
Turning around our lowest- performing schools

8. Michigan’s Response: Accelerate Michigan Stunning in its ambitions!
Legislation signed into law on January 4th, 2010.

9. Standards and Assessments
Common Core College and Career Readiness Standards and Common Core K-12 Standards in ELA and Math – a.k.a Common Core Standards (CCS) – adopted June 15, 2010
Common Summative Assessments in ELA and Math
Support for Implementation
Professional Development

10. Data Systems Implement two Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems – SLDS
Track students
Access for all

11. Effective Teachers and Leaders
Alternative Certification (currently being challenged)
Teacher and Administrator Evaluation
Based on data of student growth
Classroom observations
Portfolio assessments
Student work samples
Other determined by district

12. Effective Teachers and Leaders Continued:
Three-tier Certification and Licensure System
Equitable Distribution of Teachers and Leaders
Evaluation of Teacher Prep Programs
Teacher evaluation system (state law MCL ) requires that the school board must adopt rigorous, transparent, and fair performance evaluation systems. They will be working with unions on this count.

13. LEAs can use data to inform decision-making:
Professional Development
Compensation, promotion and retention
Tenure and full certification
Removal – only after opportunities to improve

14. Support for Struggling Schools and Districts
Identification –lowest achieving 5%
Intervention
State Reform/Redesign Officer
Intervention includes one of the four RTTT models: turnaround, restart, closure or transformation.

15. But, we didn’t win…

16. Nonetheless…
"It would have been helpful to get a Race to the Top grant, but we have a lot of work to do here to implement our new reform laws and we are moving forward." Superintendent Flanagan July 27, 2010

17. What does this mean for us?
BIG CHANGES

18. But, nothing we can’t handle...we must
Stay engaged and informed so that we can remain part of the discussion – knowledge is power
Be patient and have fortitude
Trust that we are capable and competent professional educators
Not forget why we are here in the first place

19. We have a vision of a brighter future for all
We can keep our flame burning bright.

20. Sources www.2ed.gov www.michigan.gov/mde www.corestandards.org