| Michigan Public Schools saw a significant "raising of the | | | | options and creating a guide to get the students to |
| bar" for graduation standards in 2006. Governor | | | | these goals. Michigan Schools Raise Expectations The |
| Jennifer M. Granholm signed the Michigan Merit | | | | Michigan Merit Curriculum High School Graduation |
| Curriculum into law after a team of educational and | | | | Requirements are among the most demanding in the |
| community leaders created recommendations for | | | | nation. Students in Michigan Schools, starting with |
| stricter and more comprehensive graduation | | | | those who entered 8th grade in 2006, will need to |
| standards. The new graduation requirements began | | | | meet the following course load requirements to |
| with last year's eighth grade classes in the Michigan | | | | qualify for graduation: 4 English credits, 4 math |
| Schools, and received broad support from the | | | | credits, 3 science credits, 3 social studies credits, 1 |
| educational community. Spring of 2007 marked the | | | | physical education credit, 1 visual, performing and |
| last time that juniors in the Michigan Schools were | | | | applied arts credit, an online learning experience, and 2 |
| required to take the Michigan Educational Assessment | | | | credits in a language other than English. Prior to these |
| Plan (MEAP) used in Michigan's system of school | | | | unified state standards, graduation requirements |
| rankings. Instead, Michigan Schools will now administer | | | | differed among each district in the Michigan Schools. |
| the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). One benefit of the | | | | The 16 core graduation requirements are designed to |
| new exam is that it will provide the students with the | | | | give students better preparation for working in a |
| ACT test scores required for college admission, and | | | | global economy, and the skills needed to succeed in |
| therefore save families the cost and time of that | | | | both college and the workplace. Students in the |
| additional test. Michigan Schools See a Need for | | | | Michigan Schools take up to 24 possible credits in |
| Change According a Time Magazine article in | | | | their high school years. The additional electives are |
| December of 2006, the fall of the automobile | | | | designed to help students pursue their specific field |
| industry was a major factor in prompting the | | | | of interest like music, science, or business. The |
| Michigan Schools to make changes. The loss of jobs | | | | pressure is on the Michigan Schools to rise to both |
| for non-graduates in that industry highlighted the | | | | national No Child Left Behind mandates, and the |
| need to increase the percentage of graduates from | | | | self-imposed new Merit guidelines. While most |
| Michigan Schools. According to numbers from the EPE | | | | Michigan Schools residents are in agreement that the |
| Research Center, Detroit Schools ranked 11th lowest | | | | standards are overdue, the big question is how the |
| in the nation for graduation rates with 21.7% in 2006. | | | | state will help students achieve these goals. The |
| The 2007-2008 school year will be the first year that | | | | 2007-2008 school year is critical as parents, teachers, |
| Michigan Schools will see these changes in full force. | | | | and administrators strive to help the students in |
| According to a parent pamphlet created by the | | | | Michigan Schools achieve these goals. |
| Michigan Schools, every student will create an | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| Educational Development Plan (EDP) starting in the | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| seventh grade. The plan will assist parents and | | | | private K-12 schools. |
| students in the Michigan Schools with exploring career | | | | |