The Michigan Department of Education released the state’s School Score Cards and the “Top to Bottom” list today. The Top to Bottom list is used by the School Reform Office to identify low-performing schools.
The “Priority List” is made up of the lowest-performing five percent of schools in the state, and schools that were previously in the five percent and haven’t improved enough to get off the list. Schools on the list for three years could be subject to closure.
While 38 schools are on the list of schools subject to closure this year, 79 schools were taken off the priority list.
School Reform Officer Natasha Baker has some advice for school leaders.
“The school leadership, the superintendent, the city leadership, they can all get together right this second and create a master plan that allows for kids to have access to great schools.”
The 38 schools at risk of closure will be evaluated by the School Reform Office to determine if they should close. However, some Republican lawmakers say they want to repeal the law giving the reform office power to close schools.
