Mich. Ed. Roundup – Feb 7, 2017

Feb 7, 2017 by Sara Brintnall

John B. King Jr. to Serve as President and CEO of The Education Trust

Last week, it was announced that former U.S. Secretary of Education, John B. King Jr, will become the next president and CEO of The Education Trust, beginning on March 6.

King’s leadership and life have exemplified much of the work of The Education Trust and The Education Trust-Midwest.

He began his career in education as a high school social studies teacher and subsequently co-founded the Roxbury Preparatory Charter School in Boston, a highly successful, high-poverty public charter school. That school grew into a network of unusually successful public charter schools, called Uncommon Schools, which he co-managed. From 2011 to 2015, King served as the first African American and first Puerto Rican commissioner of education in New York State, before being tapped by President Obama in 2015 to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

“Over the course of his career, John King has championed the transformative power of a quality education – from early childhood through K-12 and higher education,” said Amber Arellano, executive director of The Education Trust-Midwest. “His commitment to students of color and low-income students is strong, and his insistence on excellence and equity is unwavering. I am truly delighted that he is joining The Education Trust as our president and national leader.”

“If I had not had those teachers, I wouldn’t be alive today,” King told The Education Trust staff. “They literally saved my life. At The Education Trust, I want to help more kids like me — kids for whom schools make all the difference — get the education they need and deserve.”

Click here to read our full statement on the announcement of John B. King Jr. as the next president and CEO of The Education Trust.

DeVos confirmation vote expected at Noon

Today, the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the confirmation of Michigan native Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. The vote, which will begin around noon, is expected to result in a 50-50 tie, with all Democrats and two Republicans voting against her confirmation. Vice President Mike Pence will then cast a tie-breaking vote – the first time in history that a vice president will take such a vote.

If confirmed, DeVos will take the helm of the U.S. Department of Education at a critical time. This year, every state will develop a plan for implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act, bipartisan legislation passed in 2015, which takes the place of No Child Left Behind. Under the new law, states will have a much larger role and take much more responsibility for holding schools accountable for the learning of all students, and ensuring meaningful improvement when a school is struggling to meet the needs of any group of students.

A live stream of U.S. Senate proceedings is available here.

Noteworthy News

Capital Update

Senate Education Committee meets Thursday, February 9 at noon in Room 1100 of the Binsfeld Building. Agenda: Senate Bill 27 (Pavlov – R), which would repeal Sec. 1280c of the Revised School Code – Michigan’s “failing schools” law, and discuss a replacement for the section.

State Board of Education meets on Tuesday, February 14 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Board Room on the fourth floor of the Hannah Building. Agenda: Election of the State Board Vice-President, presentation by anti-standards advocate Youn Zhao and a presentation on the Every Student Succeeds Act plan.

The State Board of Education met in a special session yesterday to discuss the Every Student Succeeds Act. Video of the meeting is available here.