Michigan bill to repeal A-F public school rankings advances
- A Michigan bill would change the way state public schools are ranked
- Critics of the system argue that it is overly simplistic and redundant
- Opponents: The bill repeals an easy-to-understand tool for parents
FILE – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the media after signing the final piece of a $76 billion state budget into law, July 20, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
maylen
(NewsNation) — Michigan lawmakers are working on legislation that would change the way public schools are ranked.
According to a report by the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan Senate advanced a bill that would repeal the current A-F grading system used for evaluating the performance of K-12 schools.
The bill would, however, preserve the index system that also measures school performance.
According to the Detroit News, the grading system was approved in December 2018 by a Republican-led Legislature in the early morning hours of a lame-duck session.
Critics of the system argue that it is overly simplistic and redundant with the statewide index.
Bill sponsor state Rep. Matt Koleszar described the A-F system as placing a “punitive label” on schools, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Representatives from the Michigan Department of Education support the bill.
The Free Press reports Republican opponents said that the bill repeals an easy-to-understand tool to evaluate school performance for parents.
The bill now heads to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for final passage.
