In a speech at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan's office in Detroit this morning, Governor Snyder laid out his plans for reforming Michigan's education system.
It's a system that Snyder said needs to be transformed from one "still rooted in the days of a mostly farm-based society to one that prepares students for the technological age of today and jobs of tomorrow."
Snyder says the need for reform is clear. In a message to the state legislature that outlined his broad plans, he noted the following statistics:
- A total of 238 Michigan high schools have zero college-ready students based on the spring 2010 ACT test
- Only 16% of all students statewide are college-ready based on the ACT taken in spring 2010 as a part of the MME
- Fewer than 50% of students are proficient in writing based on fall 2010 MEAP data in grades 4 and 7 and spring 2010 Michigan Merit Examination (MME) data for grade 11
- Michigan ranks 21st in the country in total current expenditures per-pupil, yet it ranks 39th in the nation when it comes to fourth grade math proficiency and 34th in reading proficiency
Here's a summary of Snyder's education plan: