Gov. Rick Snyder makes reappointments to the Mental Health Diversion Council

Gov. Rick Snyder makes reappointments to the Mental Health Diversion Council

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointments of Kathleen Trott of Birmingham and David Zyble of DeWitt to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (Children’s Trust Fund).

The 11-person board promotes the health, safety and welfare of Michigan’s children and families by funding local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.

“I thank Kathleen and David for serving as a voice for Michigan’s children and families and for their dedication to keeping them safe,” said Snyder.

Trott retired as an assistant attorney general from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office in 2013 and previously served as a litigation attorney at Trott & Trott, P.C. She is a board member of the Eckerd College Board of Trustees and served as a member and president of the board of trustees of CARE House of Oakland County. Trott holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Detroit and a law degree from Wayne State University Law School. She will represent the legal community and replaces Lena Epstein.

Zyble is the assistant vice president of Jackson National Life Insurance Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Northern Michigan University and a juris doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He will represent the business community and replaces Karl Leuter.

Trott and Zyble will serve three-year terms expiring Dec. 19, 2020. Their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

Gov. Rick Snyder makes appointments to the Michigan Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities

Gov. Rick Snyder makes appointments to the Michigan Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Cheryl Granzo of Belding as well as the reappointments of Deana Strudwick of White Pigeon and Stephanie Peters of Eaton Rapids to the Michigan Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Disabilities.

The 21-member council advises the Michigan Department of Education in the preparation of applications for financial and other assistance for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities. The council also advises and assists the department regarding the appropriate services for children from birth through age five.

“I thank these individuals for serving on this important board. The work they do will be instrumental in assisting families and small children with disabilities,” Snyder said.

Appointment:

Granzo is the supervisor of Birth to Five Programs for the Ionia County Intermediate School District and is also a licensed speech and language pathologist. Granzo holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University, an early childhood education endorsement, and a special education supervisor endorsement from Grand Valley State University. She will represent public or private providers of early intervention services and replace Conny Raaymakers.

Reappointments:

Strudwick is the executive director of special education and early childhood for the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Bowling Green State University, a master’s degree in social work from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in education from Grand Valley State University. She will continue to represent public or private providers of early intervention services.

Peters previously served as the Ingham Intermediate School District’s Early Childhood and Special Education Support Services Supervisor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social science and a master’s degree in special education from Michigan State University.

Members serve four-year terms expiring Oct. 31, 2020.

Gov. Rick Snyder makes appointments to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (Children’s Trust Fund)

Gov. Rick Snyder makes appointments to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (Children’s Trust Fund)

Thursday, August 11, 2016

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointments of Stanley Hannah of Novi and Lauren Rakolta of Birmingham to the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board.

The 11-person board promotes the health, safety, and welfare of Michigan’s children and families by funding local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect.

“I am confident Stanley and Lauren will effectively serve the people of Michigan in this role,” said Snyder.

Hannah is senior manager at Plante Moran LLC. and previously served as a senior organizational consultant at Young Samuel Chambers LTD. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in education and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia. He will represent the business community and replace Andra Rush.

Rakolta is owner and president of Devon Facility Management. Previously, she owned and managed her own consulting group specializing in legislative, political, and finance strategies. Rakolta holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University. She will represent the business community and replace Mark Davidoff.

Members will serve the remainder of three-year terms that expire Dec. 19, 2018. Their appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

Michigan Department of Civil Rights Receives Grant to Advance Racial Equity in Kalamazoo

Michigan Department of Civil Rights Receives Grant to Advance Racial Equity in Kalamazoo

Contact: Vicki Levengood 517-241-7978
Agency: Civil Rights

February 23, 2018

Lansing, MI – The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) has awarded the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) a $20,000 grant to advance racial equity in the city of Kalamazoo. MDCR will partner with the city to strengthen community partnerships and develop a racial equity lens to better analyze and address the issue of fair housing in the city.

“There has been growing concern from Kalamazoo residents about issues related to housing, including quality and affordability, as well as high rates of homelessness,” said Agustin Arbulu, Executive Director, Michigan Department of Civil Rights. “Looking at this concern through a racial equity lens, we see low rates of home ownership for people of color, high rates of concentrated poverty in neighborhoods where African Americans and Latinos live, and the legacy of redlining and segregation. This grant award enables us to bring together multiple efforts in a comprehensive and sustained way to help foster actionable change.”

Racial equity is the systemic fair treatment of all races that produces equitable opportunities and outcomes for all people. Using a racial equity lens in analyzing societal problems allows communities to focus on the ways in which race and ethnicity shape experiences with power, access to resources and opportunity, and helps them find solutions that advance racial equity.

The GARE grant is designed to provide flexible resources for local government to seed projects that are focused on eliminating structural racism. The grant will support the work of MDCR to:

  • Build and deepen partnerships between the City of Kalamazoo, MDCR and community-based organizations focused on advancing racial equity;
  • Connect government entities to the community-based process and emerging infrastructure of the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) process in Kalamazoo and nationally;Assist the City of Kalamazoo to adopt a racial equity framework in both its internal and external operations, including the implementation of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) framework.

Efforts will focus on, but will not be limited to, the Edison, Northside and Eastside neighborhoods. The results of this work will be incorporated into the City of Kalamazoo’s required Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plan for 2019-2024.

Along with MDCR and the city of Kalamazoo, other partners in the effort include the Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan, the Interfaith Strategy for Advocacy and Action in the Community (ISAAC), the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, and Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equity (ERACCE).

“GARE’s Implementation and Innovation Fund offers the prospect of building cross-sector collaboration with partners who have extensive reach and influence in the community,” said Arbulu. “It’s also an opportunity to bring together state and city government, as well as philanthropic and community-based organizations to work collaboratively in advancing racial equity. We’re excited about the promise this project represents.”

For more information on the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and its work, visit www.michigan.gov/mdcr.  To learn more about GARE, visit www.racialequityalliance.org.

MDE Helping Districts Develop Effective Educator Workforces

MDE Helping Districts Develop Effective Educator Workforces

Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs 517-241-4395
Agency: Education

February 2, 2018

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is leading an effort to support struggling school districts to recruit, hire, and support teachers to meet the needs of the students in those districts.

Nationally, and in Michigan, there is growing concern over the number of teachers entering and leaving the workforce. A consistent challenge that many school districts face is not having teachers in all their classrooms, according to State Superintendent Brian Whiston.

“If a school district doesn’t have enough teachers for their classrooms, it results in large class sizes and students aren’t provided with the kind of focused instruction that will help them learn,” Whiston said.

Ensuring that Michigan has an adequately staffed education workforce requires MDE, local districts, Educator Preparation Institutions, parents and communities to work together as partners.

The strategies the Michigan Department of Education is deploying, in addition to the recommendations for other partners, are articulated in MDE’s Educator Staffing Strategic Plan and span: recruitment into the profession, preparation & certification and staffing & retention.

While these efforts support all schools, MDE is also focusing additional support on the state’s new Partnership Districts – those districts with the lowest-performing schools identified earlier this year – to address any teacher shortages in those districts.

For Partnership Districts, MDE is engaging in on-site technical assistance meetings to discuss workforce challenges and determine ways to address staffing needs, providing flexibilities and helping reach creative long- and short-term solutions; assisting with the development of strategic partnerships between educator preparation providers and schools to develop recruitment pipelines based on schools’ needs; and collaborating with education organizations to coordinate support efforts.

MICHIGAN: Gov. Snyder’s MiSTEM Advisory Council Awards $2.85M to 34 STEM Projects

MICHIGAN: Gov. Snyder’s MiSTEM Advisory Council Awards $2.85M to 34 STEM Projects

Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs 517-241-4395
Agency: Education

LANSING – Thirty-four Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs are sharing $2.85 million in state grants from Governor Rick Snyder’s MiSTEM Advisory Council, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announced today.

The state Legislature set aside $2.85 million in 2017-18 to distribute grants up to $100,000 for the implementation of STEM programs listed in the STEMworks database. The MiSTEM Advisory Council selected the awardees, whose funding ranges from $24,000 to $100,000, from 134 applications seeking more than $10 million. The applications came from local and intermediate school districts (ISDs), universities, and STEM providers

“STEM education is critically important to a student’s success later in life,” Governor Snyder said. “Thank you to my partners in the state Legislature and the Department of Education for ensuring that more Michigan students will have access to these STEM skills.”

The MiSTEM Advisory Council said in a statement:

“The Council would like to thank the Governor for the leadership and vision to propel STEM education down a new and exciting path. The legislature has stepped up to the challenge and appropriated funds to support this shift in culture, enabling STEM programming around the state to benefit from proven best practices.

“As proud as we may be about this initial success, we are even more encouraged by the widespread potential that will be harnessed and directed toward the further advancement of STEM education for all of the students throughout the state.”

State Superintendent Brian Whiston said the grants’ STEM focus will help Michigan become a Top 10 education state in 10 years – the central goal of the Michigan Department of Education.

The grants align with the Top 10 plan’s goal of implementing high-quality classroom instruction through a child-centered instructional model with a strategy to enable public schools’ students to engage in integrated STEM programming.

In weighing the applications, the MiSTEM Advisory Council considered reviewer ratings, program type, and distribution across the MiSTEM Network Regions.

Two successful applicants, Oakland Schools and West Shore ESD, received multiple awards to provide professional development in regions other than their own. They are using the funding to build on statewide work underway for several years with seed funding from other sources.

Here is the list of 10 ISDs, 10 local districts and three STEM education provider applications selected for funding:

Organization Region STEMworks Program Amount
Lakeview Sch. District (Calhoun) Region 1 – Southwest Michigan PLTW $94,340
Oakland Schools Region 2 – South Central Michigan Modeling MS Science – Jackson/Lansing $100,000
Brighton Area Schools Region 2 – South Central Michigan PLTW $53,007
National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inc. Region 3 – Wayne County Camp Invention $100,000
Wayne RESA Region 3 – Wayne County Math Recovery $62,716
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Region 3 – Wayne County PLTW $74,339
Detroit Public Schools Community District Region 3 – Wayne County A World In Motion® (AWIM) $97,730
Iridescent Region 3 – Wayne County Iridescent $91,382
Macomb ISD Region 4 – Macomb County Math Recovery $53,737
Oakland Schools Region 5 – Oakland County Modeling Biology $100,000
Oakland Schools Region 5 – Oakland County Modeling Chemistry $100,000
Genesee ISD Region 6 – Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair Counties Math Recovery $98,406
Shiawassee Regional ESD Region 7 – Capital Area Math Recovery $99,120
Otsego Public Schools Region 8 – West Michigan MiSTAR $34,160
Kent ISD Region 8 – West Michigan Math Recovery $45,675
Oakland Schools Region 8 – West Michigan Modeling MS Science – Muskegon $100,000
Mason County Eastern Schools Region 9 – West Central Michigan Cereal City Science $100,000
Midland Public Schools Region 10 – Central Michigan MiSTAR $88,784
Sanilac ISD Region 11 – Thumb Cereal City $100,000
Oakland Schools Region 12 – North East Michigan Modeling Biology – Roscommon $100,000
Public Schools of Petoskey Region 13 – North West Michigan Full Option Science System (FOSS) $60,185
Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD Region 14 – Eastern UP Cereal City Science – elementary $93,488
Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD Region 14 – Eastern UP Cereal City Science – middle school $82,474
Oakland Schools Region 15 – Central UP Modeling Physical Science – Marquette $100,000
L’Anse Area Schools Region 16 – Western UP Engineering is Elementary $28,119
Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw Region 16 – Western UP Math Recovery $24,285
Great Lakes Fishery Trust Statewide Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative $99,166
Muskegon Area ISD Statewide Math Recovery $99,960
West Shore Educational Service District Statewide AP Computer Science/Computer Science Discoveries $668,927

(6 applications total)

The Legislature created the MiSTEM Advisory Council in 2015. It’s made up of 11 voting members serving at the pleasure of the Governor and four ex-officio legislators appointed from the House of Representatives and Senate.

More information on the MiSTEM Advisory Council Grant

Michigan invests $2.5 million in local schools to grow FIRST Robotics teams, inspire next generation of STEAM professionals

Michigan invests $2.5 million in local schools to grow FIRST Robotics teams, inspire next generation of STEAM professionals

TED MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE MURRAY
517-243-7530 | MURRAYD5@MICHIGAN.GOV
Monday, Jan. 11, 2018

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan leads the nation in FIRST Robotics teams, and $2.5 million in state grants will help even more students benefit from the experiences of working with professionals and being inspired by seeing real-world applications of STEAM subjects, said Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development.

The grants, awarded by the Michigan Department of Education, are part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s continued investment in FIRST Robotics, which has students learning about applications of science, technology, engineering, arts and math through building robots for competitions – with the World Championships headed to Detroit in April.

“FIRST teaches students the skills that prepare them to be successful in the economy of our future,” Gov. Rick Snyder said. “Michigan is already first in FIRST, and these grants will go a long way in ensuring that advanced talent development continues.”

FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — was formed in 1989 to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills that inspire innovation, and foster well-rounded life capabilities, including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

“We want as many students as possible to have access to great programs like FIRST that will build their interest in STEAM careers,” said Curtis, who serves as co-chair of the FIRST Robotics World Championships Detroit Steering Committee.

“Michigan already has more than 500 FIRST high school teams. When you watch a competition and see the excitement and the partnerships with experts working in the fields, you know you are watching the next generations of our state’s engineers and leaders.”

The $2.5 million was divided between public and non-public schools, with nearly $2.3 million awarded to 423 public schools and $157,700 to 39 non-public schools across the state. Programs received grants ranging from $100 to $9,000 to help grow programs. The list of schools awarded the grants is available on the Education Department’s website.

Michigan has invested $12 million helping schools start and strengthen FIRST teams since 2014.

“FIRST Robotics provides a perfect partnership to bring industry and education together to help students understand and learn the skills needed to land one of the many 21st Century jobs here in Michigan,” State Superintendent Brian Whiston said. “Beyond that, FIRST exposes students to multiple career pathways, something critical to creating a Top 10 education system and helps build a robust talent pipeline for the thousands of jobs being created.”

FIRST has been a transformational program for many students and continues to be a leading catalyst for growing student interest in good-paying and high-demand careers currently going unfilled.

Students participating in FIRST programs across the state are two times as likely to major in science or engineering in college, and more than 75 percent of FIRST alumni are currently in a STEM field as a student or professional.

Michigan also has invested in the Square One Education Network and Skills USA, other programs that encourage students to work with mentors and apply real-world skills in competitions.

“We want to lead the world in talent development,” Curtis said. “This investment by the Michigan Department of Education is just another way Michigan is working toward that goal. The grants are a smart investment in Michigan’s continued economic growth.”

Curtis co-chairs the World Championships Detroit Steering Committee with Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe and Gail Alpert, president of FIRST Robotics in Michigan.

The World Championships, planned for April 25 through 28, are expected to include nearly 60,000 students and 700 teams to Ford Field and Cobo Center with four levels of competition. Last year, two Michigan teams were part of the winning alliance at the World Championships in St. Louis.

MICHIGAN: Consider Donating to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund

MICHIGAN: Consider Donating to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund

Contact: Danelle Gittus (gittusd@michigan.gov), Ron Leix (leixr@michigan.gov) or call 517-335-2167
Agency: Treasury
Dec. 26, 2017

With the 2017 tax year coming to a close, the Michigan Department of Treasury is asking Michiganders to consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund.

Donations made to the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund provide scholarships to young adults who have experienced foster care and are enrolled at a Michigan degree-granting college or university. Awards are paid to the students’ college or university to assist with tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies.

“Approximately 13,000 children are in the Michigan foster care system at any given time,” said Robin Lott, executive director of the Michigan Education Trust (MET). “A growing number of our youth are reaching adult age while in foster care and have no resources to attend college when they age out of the system. This scholarship provides some help with college expenses when no other assistance may be available.”

Since 2012, fundraising efforts have totaled more than $1.1 million. This was done through individual donations, group donations, sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions and many volunteer-based fundraising events.

All of the money raised during the calendar year is distributed annually to scholarship recipients.

To make a charitable donation, complete and submit a MET Charitable Tuition Program Contribution form along with a check for any dollar amount made payable to the State of Michigan Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund. Contributions can also be made online by credit or debit card through the Fostering Futures Scholarship Donation Paysite.

Charitable contribution forms postmarked or made online by Dec. 31 are eligible for a tax deduction in the year they are made.

For more information about the Fostering Futures Scholarship, go to www.fosteringfutures-mi.com.

National survey shows Michigan counselors have third-highest student ratio in the country

National survey shows Michigan counselors have third-highest student ratio in the country

Lansing, Mich. – Michigan school counselors are spread thin, with the third-highest student-to-counselor ratio in the nation, according to a recent report from the American School Counselor Association.

That ratio – 729 students for every counselor – makes it difficult for students to get the guidance they need, especially when it comes to exploring careers and pathways to good jobs.

The Michigan Career Pathways Alliance is working to support school counselors and help them provide students with the most current information about careers and training needed to get good jobs. Three of the alliance’s 17 recommendations include proposals aimed at providing more counselors, or resources to those currently in the job.

“We know many of our school counselors are asked to do more and more,” said Roger Curtis, director of the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development. “But their role is going to become even more vital as students start thinking about careers and navigating potential pathways earlier. We’re looking to help communities provide additional resources for counselors and give them the tools they need.”

Curtis and State Superintendent Brian Whiston at the direction of Gov. Rick Snyder co-lead the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance, which has recommendations to improve student access to the multiple career pathways that lead to good-paying, rewarding jobs in Michigan.

Based on the most recent data available, from the 2014-2015 school year, only Arizona and California have higher student-to-counselor ratios, and Michigan is well above the national average of 482 students per counselor. The American School Counselor Association suggests an optimal ratio of 250 students per counselor.

The Michigan Career Pathways Alliance recommends creating a program to provide state matching dollars through crowdfunding to assist in covering the costs for additional counselors and Professional Trades programs.

Another initiative calls for hiring career development facilitators to support counselors, with the focus on helping students explore career options and learn what training they need to get in-demand jobs.

The alliance also calls for counselors and teachers to be able to use externships and other experiences gained with local employers to count toward professional development requirements.

Snyder in November signed into law a bill that mandates school counselors dedicate 50 hours of the current 150-hour professional development requirement to better assist students with college and career selection, helping them assist students with additional information about career technical education and all possible pathways.

Several state agencies recently unveiled Pathfinder, a free, online tool providing counselors, students and adult jobseekers with real-time data about careers, the training needed to get those jobs, projected openings and average wage information.

Whiston signed some of the Alliance recommendations into action earlier this year while others are in various stages of completion. A number are included in bills that cleared the state House of Representatives this week. Other bills have been introduced in the state Senate.

The American School Counselor Association recommends that school counselors spend 80 percent or more of their time in direct and indirect services to students. School counselors participate as members of the educational team and use the skills of leadership, advocacy and collaboration to support the academic, career and social/emotional needs of all students.

Tony Warren, president of the Michigan School Counselor Association, said counselors today are pulled away from their core responsibilities. He said counselors also serve as test coordinators, Individualized Education Program facilitators, and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinators in addition to entering data for new enrollees, dealing with discipline issues and covering other administrative duties.

“Schools should eliminate or reassign all inappropriate tasks as identified by ASCA, doing so would allow counselors to carry out career development activities that align with state initiatives and promote equal access to school counseling programs for all students,” Warren said.

As the 21st century workforce adapts to technology and the jobs of the future, the Career Pathways Alliance recognizes the need for educators and employers to work more closely so students can explore careers and obtain in-demand skills.

Patrice Mang, a veteran school counselor in Allen Park, Mich., said she is excited to see school counselors get much-needed support.

“We love what we do,” Mang said. “The students must be the focus of what we are doing and seeing the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance make these strong recommendations to help us gain resources shows that we are working together to support our students. We need people to support this effort and see it through.”

To learn more about the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance visit www.michigan.gov/micareerpathways.

TED MEDIA CONTACT: DAVE MURRAY
517-243-7530 | MURRAYD5@MICHIGAN.GOV

MICHIGAN: Senate introduces bills to build stronger talent pipeline with expanded tools for K-12 schools

MICHIGAN: Senate introduces bills to build stronger talent pipeline with expanded tools for K-12 schools

Media Contact: Dave Murray
517-243-7530 | murrayd5@michigan.gov

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan students would receive even more tools to explore, receive training and land one of the state’s thousands of good jobs available now and into the future under bills introduced today in the state Senate, said Talent and Economic Development Director Roger Curtis and State Superintendent Brian Whiston.

Senate Bills introduced today, if adopted, would create talent portfolios, allow more frequent and meaningful use of educational development plans and update career development plans in a school’s improvement plan.

“We applaud the leadership shown by Sens. Peter MacGregor and Ken Horn with the introduction of this critical legislation,” Curtis said. “These bills are aimed at providing students with the resources needed to explore careers and understand the training needed to land jobs in our 21st-century economy.”

The two bills were created in the spirit of the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance recommendations announced this past summer.

“Senate Bills 684 and 685 are the culmination of years of work and I’m proud to be a part of yet another step in getting students the resources they need to make sound career choices,” said Sen. Horn, R-Frankenmuth. “We want to give students the chance to explore every opportunity available to them. Talent portfolios will be something that parents and counselors can point to as young people begin to look at their futures.”

Sen. MacGregor agreed.

“When I first took office, one of my principal goals was to get people back to work,” said Sen. MacGregor, R-Rockford. “The Legislature has championed many pieces of legislation aimed at expanding opportunities to students. We’ve come to realize that a four-year college degree is not ideal for every student and we need to improve access to options that help students make career choices. These bills would do just that.”

The alliance was created by Gov. Rick Snyder and is headed by Curtis and Whiston, and includes more than 100 education, business, economic development and labor organizations from across the state.

“Creating the talent of the future starts in our schools,” Whiston said. “These bills build upon our forward-moving progress to ensure students get career connected before graduation and help address our career awareness gap. These bills are good for our students, our economy and the future of Michigan.”

As part of the bills, students’ educational development plans would:

  • Provide them with an opportunity to explore careers specific to their interests and identify career pathways and goals for achieving success in those careers.
  • Offer information on various types of careers and current and projected job openings in the state with projected wages.
  • Create an opportunity to develop a talent portfolio, a record of a student’s experience, proficiencies, certifications or accomplishments that demonstrate talents or marketable skills.

The bills also require schools to involve hands-on learning, combined with classroom instruction that enhances a student’s employability skills and requires schools to provide age-appropriate career informational resources in all grades.

Schools will also need to provide students with the opportunity – in a grade the district deems appropriate – to complete one or more experiences in a field of the student’s interests and have school counselors discuss career interests, options and preparations with students at each grade level.

Schools also would offer programs providing students in grades six to 12 with work-based learning activities that make connections between industry experts in a variety of fields and ensure all students in grade 12 know how to develop and use a resume, reference letter, school record and talent portfolio.

The bills add to the House bill package currently being considered, which include HBs 5139-5142 and 5145 and support a number of the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance recommendations. The legislation also supports current efforts to make Michigan a Top 10 education state in 10 years.

Curtis said the alliance is keeping its foot on the gas and will continue to work with lawmakers and stakeholders to make sure students are prepared post-secondary education, be it a four-year degree, apprenticeship program, certification program or community college.