Detroit City Wire

Senator Ruth Johnson of Michigan has introduced legislation aimed at reinstating the state's A-F accountability and ranking system for public schools, as well as strengthening annual teacher evaluations. The proposed changes are outlined in Senate Bill 378 and two additional bills, SBs 379 and 380.

"Restoring the easy-to-understand A-F accountability system would enable parents to easily see how their child’s school is performing so they can make informed choices about what school is best for their child’s education," said Johnson, R-Holly. She emphasized the importance of having effective teachers and providing parents with access to information about local schools as critical steps in improving educational outcomes.

Senate Bill 378 seeks to reintroduce a grading scale that assigns letter grades from A through F to various aspects of school performance. These include proficiency in reading and math, student growth, graduation rates, and comparisons with peer institutions.

The accompanying bills sponsored by Sen. John Damoose alongside Johnson focus on restoring annual teacher evaluations. They propose incorporating student progress into these evaluations and using results for decisions on teacher promotions or removals.

Recent data highlights concerns over educational standards in Michigan. According to the 2024 Nation's Report Card, Michigan ranks 44th among U.S. states for fourth-grade reading scores—a drop from its previous position of 32nd in 2019. Additionally, the National Assessment of Educational Progress report indicates significant gaps in proficiency: 75% of fourth graders and 76% of eighth graders are not reading at grade level; similarly, a large percentage struggle with math proficiency.

Michigan also ranks among the bottom ten states nationally regarding learning loss attributed to COVID-19 disruptions, according to MLive reports.