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Ann Arbor Charter Outperforms Local District, ISD and State in Reading

Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) first authorized Honey Creek Community School of Ann Arbor in 1995. Naomi Norman, executive director of achievement initiatives at WISD, says they were unwilling to compromise on high standards for increased flexibility.

“WISD was able to set really high standards for any school that we would consider authorizing,” Norman told ETM. “We wouldn’t even consider authorizing a school unless it met a really high bar.”

After receiving countless proposals for potential new schools, only one school, Honey Creek, has met the authorizer’s high bar for opening in the past twenty years.


Capitol Update

Last week, the Senate Education Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4822 (Price – R), regarding early literacy proficiency, including testimony from The Education Trust-Midwest. View video of the March 15 and March 8 hearings. Another hearing on the legislation is scheduled for today at noon. Earlier today, the Senate Education Committee considered testimony from the State School Reform/Redesign officer regarding efforts to address Michigan’s academically failing schools.

The House Appropriations Committee met again last week to consider the House Republican plan to address Detroit Public Schools. View video of the March 16, March 9, March 7 and March 4 hearings on the bill package. The packages includes: House Bills 5382 (Pscholka – R), 5383 (Price – R), 5384 (Garcia – R), 5385 (Poleski – R), 5386 (Jacobsen – R) and 5387 (Garcia – R). The committee will meet again on Wednesday, March 23 on the bills.

Upcoming Meetings:

House School Aid Appropriations Subcommittee. Tuesday, March 22 at 10:30 am in Room 426 of the State Capitol Building. Agenda: Decisions on the School Aid Budget for FY 2016-17, HB 5266 (Kelly – R)

Senate Education Committee. Tuesday, March 22 at noon in Room 110 of the Farnum Building. Agenda: HB 4822 (Price – R), regarding early literacy proficiency.

Senate K-12, School Aid, and Education Subcommittee. Wednesday, March 23 at 8:30 am in the Harry T. Gast Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, State Capitol Building. Agenda: Senate Bill 796 (Hansen – R) and SB 786 (Hansen – R), school aid and department of education appropriations.

House Appropriations Committee. Wednesday, March 23 in Room 352 of the State Capitol Building, to consider the House Republican plan to address Detroit Public Schools. The packages includes: House Bills 5382 (Pscholka – R), 5383 (Price – R), 5384 (Garcia – R), 5385 (Poleski – R), 5386 (Jacobsen – R) and 5387 (Garcia – R).

House Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Wednesday, March 23 at 10:30 am in Room 426 of the State Capitol Building. Agenda: Decisions on Department of Education Budget for FY 2016-17, HB 5262 (Potvin – R).


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