Earlier this week, I published an open letter to the Regents of Eastern Michigan University who made the decision to partner with the Education Achievement Authority, Governor Rick Snyder’s failed education experiment on Detroit’s children. In it, he admonished the Regents for betraying the history and legacy and mission of EMU by supporting an education model that relies on untrained, […]

“Your support for the EAA is a black-mark on this university’s history” Yesterday, Eastern Michigan University’s Board of Regents met and, as part of the meeting, they took public comments. Below is the commentary of Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the EMU Special Education Department, Steve Camron. It does a fantastic job of outlining why EMU’s partnership with Governor […]

The fight continues Yesterday’s narrow passage of the legislation that will expand the failed Education Achievement Authority experiment statewide was a blow to those of us who rely on data and facts to inform our decisions. With the help of two supposed progressives from Detroit, Representatives John Olumba and Harvey Santana, the bill passed by only two votes. THEIR votes. […]

House Republicans along with Detroit Democrat Harvey Santana and Independent Detroit Rep. John Olumba passed legislation this afternoon that expands the EAA. The bill passed with a two vote margin. I have rarely been prouder of the House Democrats (with the exception of Santana) who spoke eloquently, passionately, and with facts in hand about how terrible this bill is and […]

Educators are speaking. Are lawmakers listening? Last night the Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education unanimously voted to voice its opposition to HB 4369, the legislation that may likely be voted on in the state House today to expand the Education Achievement Authority. “As an educational body, as a policy body, when we see the level of distress that […]

What gives, Harvey? [Photo by Anne Savage, special to Eclectablog] Yesterday was another day without a vote on HB 4369, the legislation that would expand Republican Governor Rick Snyder’s failed experiment on Detroit children known as the Education Achievement Authority. I’ve spoken to multiple legislators who say that bill proponents are close to having enough votes. However, there is so […]

I slipped out of the country for a few days’ vacation in Mexico this past week and was pleased to learn upon my return that the EAA expansion bill has not yet been passed. What I have heard is that the Republicans pushing this legislation are only one vote short or that they may, in fact, now have enough and […]

Yesterday we heard from a faculty member about the Education Achievement Authority “public forum” held on the campus of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In that account, we learned that the forum was little more than a staged promotional event for the EAA. Today, we hear from David Chapman, an organizer with the EMU student group Students for Ethical […]

When you don’t have facts, all you have left is lies Diane Ravitch recently posted a piece titled “The Abject Failure of Michigan’s Educational Achievement Authority”. In it, she highlights the excellent analysis of this year’s MEAP test scores done by Wayne State University professor Thomas Pedroni. Then, in the comments, Pedroni was attacked by someone named Curtis Linton: Diane, […]

I have received word that the House Republicans now have enough votes to pass the bill that will expand the State school Reform/Redesign district (HB 4369). Since the SSRRD is comprised exclusively of the Education Achievement Authority until February of 2015, the bill is essentially an expansion of the EAA. I have also heard the Senate is recessing this morning […]

First, I want to reiterate what I said yesterday: there is a very good chance that Republicans are close to having enough votes to to expand the State School Reform/Redesign district (HB 4369) which, for now, is only the EAA. They may vote as early as today if they get enough votes. Two Democrats, John Olumba & Harvey Santana, are […]