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Detroit Schools Emergency Manager Resigns

Darnell Earley, the Emergency Manager of Detroit Public Schools (DPS), notified Governor Rick Snyder today of his decision to step down on February 29 – four months before the expiration of his term.

Earley’s resignation comes after weeks of sick-outs by DPS teachers, which have brought attention to conditions of many Detroit school buildings. Since the sick-outs began, the City of Detroit’s Buildings, Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department has found 262 code violations in Detroit schools.

Prior to his appointment as emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools, Earley was emergency manager of the City of Flint. Thedecision to switch to the Flint River for city water was made during his tenure.


Michigan Closing The Honesty Gap

A new 50-state analysis by the education advocacy organizationAchieve shows that Michigan has significantly improved the reliability and transparency of student performance information over the last year. The Honesty Gap compares scores on state assessments and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), considered the ‘gold standard’ in student assessments.

In the report, Michigan is identified as a Top Truth Teller in 2015 for having a proficiency score within five percentage points of NAEP in eighth-grade math. The gap between state-reported and NAEP proficiency rates in fourth-grade reading was also reduced by 21 percentage points in the 2014-15 school year.

Last year, Michigan began using the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) to evaluate whether students are on track to master the skills and content needed to succeed in the next grade, career, or college.

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Michigan Makes Significant Progress towards Closing the “Honesty Gap”

Capital Update

Senate Education Committee met this morning (February 2). During the hearing, the committee passed Senate Bill 713 (Pavlov – R), SB 714 (Robertson – R) and SB 715 (Hune – R), all related to penalties for teacher strikes. The bills were introduced following “sick-outs” by Detroit Public School teachers.

House Education Committee met on January 28. The committee heard testimony on two student privacy bills, supported by The Education Trust-Midwest – SB 33 and SB 510 (Pavlov – R). The committee also took testimony on House Bill 5156 (Lyons – R), HB 5157 (Garcia – R), HB 5158 (Price – R), and HB 5159 (Yonker – R), relating to educator professional development.

Upcoming Meetings:
Senate Education Committee and School Aid Appropriations Subcommittee. Wednesday, February 3 at 8:30 am. Rooms 402/403 of the Capitol Building. Agenda: Presentation by State Superintendent Brian Whiston on academically failing schools and reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Senate Government Operations Committee. February 4 at 1 pm. Senate Hearing room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower. The committee will hear testimony on SB 710 and SB 711 (Hansen – R), both related to Detroit Public Schools.

State Board of Education. Tuesday, February 9 at 9:30 am. Ladislaus B. Dombrowski Board Room, Fourth Floor, Hannah Building. The agenda will be available here.


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