LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder is urging calm ahead of Michigan's release of the lowest-performing public schools, saying there is a "misperception" that schools will be closed.
He said Friday that Michigan is required to publish the bottom 5 percent list by next week, but he told The Associated Press it is wrong to assume listed schools will receive closure notices.
Education leaders have said the Snyder administration has privately told some school officials that if their schools are on the list for three straight years, they may be subject to closure for the 2017-18 academic year.
The governor says closing schools is legally an option, but "that's different than saying that's what's going to happen." He did not rule out future closures but said notifying schools now hopefully leads to improvement.
