State board of education sets tougher testing standards for Michigan schools
Yesterday, at their meeting in Lansing, officials from the State board of education raised testing standards for K-12 students in Michigan.
The higher standards, also known as "cut scores," will determine which students are deemed "proficient" on the MEAP test (for K-8 students) and the Michigan Merit Exam (for high school students). More from the Michigan Public Radio Network's Laura Weber:
Students will be expected to answer about two-thirds of test questions correctly. That’s double the previous test-score cut-off for proficiency. The tougher standards could result in more schools failing to benchmarks for student achievement. But board members say the test score standards will help better prepare students for college.
Brandon Howell at MLive posted charts on how the new standards will effect the percentage of students categorized as "proficient."
Republican Senate candidates try to stand out in the crowd
The six Republican candidates vying for the nomination to take on Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow in the 2012 election held a debate last night. It was hosted by the Gerald R. Ford Republican Women’s Club. Michigan Radio's Lindsey Smith covered the debate and reported "all six candidates held many of the same views including lower taxes, cuts in federal spending, and repealing President Obama’s healthcare law. The difference was in the degree of conservatism."
The six candidates for the Republican nomination are school-choice advocate Clark Durant, anti-gay activist Gary Glenn, former judge Randy Hekman, former U.S. Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Roscommon businessman Peter Konetchy, and Brighton businessman Chuck Marino.
Reports of another attack in Ann Arbor
The attack happened early this morning. The Detroit News reports:
Just after midnight, a 20-year-old woman walking near 400 S. First St. was approached from behind by an unknown male. He grabbed her arm and waist, and began fondling her chest and groin area, police said. The woman, who police describe as a non-student, was able to break free from the assailant. The man fled on foot heading north, police said.
Investigators are not saying whether they believe this attack is linked to six others in Ann Arbor, according to the Detroit Free Press:
Police have received reports of six attacks from July 15 to July 26 that they believe may have been related. The attacks occurred mostly in the downtown area just off campus. All of the assaults occurred between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. In two cases, both July 18, women were raped. In the other four cases, women were grabbed or fondled, but managed to break free.
