Michigan legislators could vote this week on a controversial proposal that would expand the state’s Education Achievement Authority. That’s the state-run district comprised of 15 of the most challenged schools in the state, all in Detroit.
EAA administrators, Gov. Rick Snyder and other supporters say the initiative, now in its second year, is beginning to turn those schools around. They say test scores are rising due to a student-centric teaching model, a longer school year, and grouping students by ability instead of age.
Opponents of the measure, two of whom appeared on yesterday’s program, paint a starkly different picture. They say the EAA is off to a bad start, that it’s not serving students and has serious problems with transparency and demonstrating progress.
Current State spoke with the Chancellor of Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority, Dr. John Covington, and the chair of the House Education Committee, which could send this expansion measure to the full house shortly, Republican Rep. Lisa Postumus-Lyons.
Covington says about 68% of students in the EAA showed up to two years of growth in a year.