PLEASE TAKE ACTION by clicking the links below!
They are available through "Michigan Parents for Schools" and are QUICK AND EASY!
The site gives suggested messages to use for your email to legislators and will automatically identify your House representative and send the email when you provide your zip code!
The HOUSE may vote on these issues THIS AFTERNOON (Wednesday)
The issues:
1) Retention of all children in third grade if they do not pass a reading test and score "proficient".
The bill addresses no way to address students who can not read "proficiently"; it only proposes to hold students back. As educators I am sure you can think of a multitude of reasons this proposal is over simplified and could prove to be not only ineffective, but damaging.
Take action at this link:
On third grade
retention (HB 5111): http://capwiz.com/miparentsforschools/issues/alert/?alertid=63018601
2) The second issue is the school rating system used by the Department of Education. This past year they used a new color system that many found confusing. The Legislature proposes remedying this by passing a bill that changes the process to a simple grading system: A through F.
The problem; their proposal is all too simplistic. If a school gets an A, what does that mean. If a school gets a C, what does that mean? Everyone has a preconceived image of what a grade means, so on the surface this bill seems to make sense. What this bill really needs is for personnel who are PRO-education to define the ratings. This process NEEDS to STAY IN the Department of Education and should not be done by our legislators. We know they have not been public school friendly. What do you suppose their "bias" might make this bill a "tool" for?
Take action at this link:
On the A-F rating
system (HB 5112): http://capwiz.com/miparentsforschools/issues/alert/?alertid=63018616
MEA
About Me
- Tfitzjake
- I wrote this introduction 6 years ago, and it is even more important today than ever. The voices of educational employees need to be heard above the roar of public school attacks in this country. We are on the front line; we are highly educated and trained professionals. Why are we being ignored? I am an educator. I was the president of the Walled Lake Education Association for over 6 years, and before that, the treasurer for 8 years. I have been on the bargaining team for 15 years. I am now the MEA UniServ Director for 7K and parts of IJ. I want our voice to be heard! Today's educational climate requires that we all stay informed regarding the issues affecting our chosen profession!