|
|
|
|
Dear Colleague, 
Please ACT TODAY to develop a talented workforce for our state by supporting world-class educational standards for Michigan learners.
A bipartisan legislative subcommittee will be meeting on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) starting this week through the end of August. The standards simply specify what kids should be able to know and do at every grade level in math and English, so they can be ready to advance when they graduate no matter whether they enter the workforce or continue their education.
As a leader with a strong interest in the talent of the future, we encourage you to help others and the media understand how critical these standards are to Michigan's future economic success.
Doug Rothwell,
President & CEO
Business Leaders for Michigan
|
The Common Core subcommittee meets four times in July and August to discuss the standards. Please attend one of these hearings, contact your lawmakers and connect with your local media regarding this important issue.
All meetings will take place in room 521 of the House Office Building in downtown Lansing. The schedule of meetings is as follows:
- Tuesday, July 16 from 9:00-11:00 AM
- Wednesday, July 31 from 10:00 AM-Noon
- Wednesday, August 14 from 10:00 AM-Noon
- Wednesday, August 28 from 10:00 AM-Noon
|
|
Michigan needs the Common Core to ensure its high school graduates are career- and college-ready. Good paying jobs are increasingly requiring more education and the jobs will go where those educated workers can be found.
Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. Territories and the U.S. Department of Defense have signed on to the standards, which were developed through the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governor's Association. The standards reflect everything students should know and be able to do to be able to compete in a global economy.
The standards are not, as some have expressed, a curriculum - all decisions about what materials to use or how to teach are still made at the local level. In other words, the CCSS do not tell kids what to read - only that kids should be able to read. The CCSS set consistent academic expectations for all Michigan students. These standards are grounded in evidence, internationally benchmarked, and prepare students for college and careers. And yes, the CCSS are tougher than what we have now. The CCSS set high but much needed expectations for achievement if we truly want to give our children the best footing possible whether they are career or college bound.
Teachers and schools will always have choices about how those standards are taught. At the first subcommittee meeting, you can hear testimony on the history of the Common Core and how it is being implemented in Michigan. State superintendent Mike Flanagan and Michael Cohen of Achieve, Inc. will each be presenting. |
EDUCATION & BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTINUES TO GROW!
|
|
Numerous education and business groups support the Common Core State Standards in Michigan, including:
- Business Leaders for Michigan
- Detroit Regional Chamber
- Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
- Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals
- Michigan Association of School Administrators
- Michigan Association of School Boards
- Michigan Association of Public School Academies
- Great Lakes Education Project
- Students First
- Education Trust Midwest
- Democrats for Education Reform
- Michigan PTA
- Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools
- Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan
- Michigan Community College Association
- Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association
- Middle Cities Education Association
- Tri-County Alliance
- ESA Legislative Group
- Michigan Small and Rural Schools Association
- School Equity Caucus
- Oakland Schools
- Wayne RESA
- Kent ISD
- Genesee ISD
- Kalamazoo RESA
-
Ottawa ISD (and its member districts including Hamilton, Saugatuck, Allendale, Coopersville, Holland Christian, West Ottawa, Spring Lake, and Hudsonville)
- Montcalm Area ISD
- Washtenaw ISD
- Jackson ISD
- Monroe ISD
- Lenawee ISD
- Hillsdale ISD
- Barry ISD
- Branch ISD
- Calhoun ISD
|
More on Common Core:
Myths v. Facts & FAQs
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce. |
 Will Michigan Change its Mind on Education Standards? July 15, 2013 Michigan's adoption of the Common Core State Standards, a set of learning goals embraced by 44 other states in the nation, should have been a slam dunk given the widespread support that exists in the state. Read more... |
|
Our View: Putting the Common Core in Perspective
May 19, 2013 
What are the Common Core Standards and why do some conservatives hate them so much? To better understand what the Common Core educational standards are, it's helpful to understand what they aren't. Read more...
|
Common Core: West MI school leaders blindsided by state defunding 
July 14, 2013
West Michigan school leaders say the backlash against nationally developed education standards that triggered defunding by state lawmakers shows a glaring disconnect between educators and policymakers.Read more...
|
Common Core Spat Way Too Late
 June 8, 2013
For all the lip service our elected officials devote to public education, you would think they could treat it with some degree of respect. That ought to include working out the bugs of an educational reform plan before the 11th hour.Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
BLM Contact Info
| |
Business Leaders
for Michigan
600 Renaissance Center,
Suite 1760, Detroit, MI, 48243-1802
Phone: 313.259.5400
|
|
|
|
About Us
Business Leaders for Michigan, the state's business roundtable, is dedicated to making Michigan a "Top Ten" state for job, economic and personal income growth. The organization is composed exclusively of the chairpersons, chief executive officers or most senior executives of Michigan's largest companies and universities, which contribute nearly 25% of the state's economy and provide over 320,000 jobs in Michigan, generate over $1 Trillion in annual revenue and serve over 135,000 students.
Find out more at: www.businessleadersformichigan.com
Business Leaders for Michigan
600 Renaissance Center, Suite 1760, Detroit, MI 48243-1802
Phone: 313.259.5400
E-Mail Address: info@businessleadersformichigan.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
