Plans to overhaul how Michigan deals with struggling schools will see continued discussion this week in a state Senate committee.
State lawmakers have been working for weeks to overhaul how Michigan deals with struggling schools. The committee is currently trying to find the best ways to judge student performance, and grade schools.
Republican Senator Phil Pavlov is the chair of the Senate Education committee. He says lawmakers plan to form outlines of an education plan over the next few weeks.
"Right now we’re getting input from all the stakeholders who want to weigh in and be part of a comprehensive solution for how we’re going to treat schools that are failing kids,” he said.
One of the bills up for discussion would get rid of the law that lets the state close chronically failing schools.
Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich said he is so far happy with the work the committee is doing. One of the bills up for discussion would repeal the “failing schools” law. Ananich said the policy was bad from the beginning.
“I think just stopping this right now and saying we’re not going to close these schools, we’re gonna focus on success as opposed to continuing to focus six years on failure and then wondering why we have a failed system,” he said. “It’s just backwards and I hope that we come together and solve this problem.”
Governor Rick Snyder recently decided to delay the decision on which of the 38 chronically failing schools slated for potential closure would in fact close.
Pavlov said that was a victory for the committee.
“I think that that’s kind of an acknowledgement to the work we’ve been doing in our committees to say ‘we gotta get this right,’” he said. “You don’t just go closing schools without, firm clear understanding of how that student in that school is gonna get access to quality education outside of that building.”
The other area of focus is how schools are accredited.
