By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-984158.mp3
LANSING, MI –
A polarizing Democratic state representative is resigning to become a national school-reform lobbyist based out of California's state capital. Michigan Public Radio's Laura Weber has more.
Democratic state Representative Tim Melton gained a lot of attention - for better or worse - from colleagues, lobbyists and people working in education, when he was chairman of the House Education Committee. Melton spearheaded many education reforms that have become a springboard for continued changes to the education system under a Republican-led Legislature. Melton lost his chairmanship when Republicans took control of the House, but he continued to be an outspoken member of his caucus.
"I was one of the few Democrats out of all of them that actually would work with the majority party to get some things done," he says.
Melton says he is excited to work throughout the country to help other states approve reforms similar to those he pushed in Michigan. He will be a lead lobbyist for Students First - an education-reform advocacy group led by Michelle Rhee. He will not be allowed to lobby the Michigan Legislature until after 2012, when his term would expire.