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| Governor's Corner...
January 3, 2007 Mulhern Leads Charge to Motivate Men to Mentor Governor declares January Michigan Mentoring Month LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has declared January Michigan Mentoring Month and announced that First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern will lead a special effort to encourage men in Michigan to become mentors. “We have many men here in Michigan who are strong leaders and positive role models,” Mulhern said. “We want these men to know how much they are needed and how simple it can be to make a huge difference in the life of a child in their community.” Mulhern cited a recent study by Kahle Research Solutions, Inc. that showed the majority of the 4,000 children in Michigan waiting for mentors are boys. The study also reported that while an estimated 35,000 children are being mentored in the state, only 35 percent of the mentors are men. Granholm declared January Michigan Mentoring Month to call on people around the state to step forward and mentor children in their community, with a special emphasis on encouraging men to become mentors. The governor’s proclamation coincides with the observance of National Mentoring Month in January. “Mentoring is not about your occupation, your title, or having special skills,” Granholm said. “Mentoring can be as simple as spending some time on a regular basis doing day-to-day activities with a child from your community.” As attorney general, Granholm established the Mentor Michigan initiative, which is now led by Mulhern. Mentor Michigan is a statewide effort to raise awareness about the need for mentors and the benefits associated with mentoring. Mentor Michigan also works with more than 230 mentoring programs statewide to recruit mentors and enhance the quality of mentoring in Michigan. The governor and first gentleman mentor children from the Lansing area and are among the 97 percent of mentors who would recommend mentoring to others. As part of Mentoring Month, the Michigan Community Service Commission, chaired by Mulhern, has program information and resources on the Mentor Michigan website to help future mentors find mentoring organizations in their community. Governor Granholm’s upcoming inaugural events will also highlight and support mentoring with all proceeds from the ticketed events in Detroit on January 13 and Marquette on January 20 benefiting Mentor Michigan. Mentor Michigan / 1-800-VOLUNTEER / http://www.mentormichigan.org. Mentor Michigan is managed by the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), a state agency in the Department of Human Services. The MCSC builds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ALL Students Required To Take ACT By 2007 Contact: Heidi Hansen 517-335-6397 September 21,2005 LANSING –Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that for the first time, all Michigan students will take a college entrance exam as part of the state’s high school assessment. Beginning with the class of 2008, students will be required to take the American College Test (ACT) and a work skills assessment known as WorkKeys in place of the existing Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) test. “To compete in a global economy, our students must continue their education beyond high school,” said Granholm. “To make this expectation a reality, we must give students the tools they need to succeed, including the opportunity to take a college entrance exam.” The switch to the nationally-recognized college entrance exam implements a key recommendation of the Cherry Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth which Governor Granholm charged with finding ways to double the number of college graduates in Michigan. The Commission found that the use of a college entrance exam as the standard high school assessment in other states actually led to an increase in the number of students who decided to attend college. Currently, high school students who choose to take the ACT must pay approximately $70 and take the test on a Saturday. By making this exam available to all high school students at no cost to the student, the state will ensure that every student has the needed entrance exam completed in order to qualify for admission into a college or university. |
“Based on the experience of other states, changing our high school assessment is a win-win for Michigan and our students,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan. “Not only are we removing one of the financial barriers for many students as they prepare for college, but we likely will see an increase in the number of students who choose to continue their education beyond high school.” In January 2005, Granholm signed Public Acts 592-596 of 2004 which required the state to replace the high school MEAP test with a Michigan Merit Exam. The Department of Management and Budget was instructed to contract with a provider to develop, administer and score an exam which measured English language arts, mathematics, reading, social studies, and science and would be accepted by colleges and universities for entrance and placement purposes. Pearson Educational Measurement and its partner, ACT, were awarded the competitively-bid contract. In addition, the new assessments will need approval from the U.S. Department of Education to be used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress as required by the federal No Child Left Behind law. The new test will be administered on a common two-day period in the spring of each year, with one day for the ACT, and the other day for WorkKeys and the assessments of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies tests. A two-day re-test period will occur two weeks later. The spring tests will be administered in schools exactly as the college entrance tests are administered in a national Saturday administration. The State will pay for one re-test for each student, although ACT offers a fee-waiver program for qualified low-income students. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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GOVERNOR GRANHOLM SIGNS BILL CREATING NEW PROTECTION FROM IDENTITY THEFT
“Today’s technology has taken commerce and communication to new heights, but it also puts citizens at additional risk of identity theft as ever-increasing amounts of personal information are stored and transmitted electronically” Granholm said. “While I am pleased to sign legislation that provides critical information to consumers, we must do more to provide our citizens with the tools they need to truly protect themselves.” The legislation signed today requires that individuals and government agencies notify consumers when a security breach puts personal information, including social security numbers, drivers license numbers, and financial information, at risk. Failure to properly notify consumers of a security breach can result in a fine of up to $750,000. The new notification requirement is similar to one part of the legislative package Granholm called for last year. That proposal would have allowed consumers to freeze their credit reports in the event of identity theft, broadened the amount of data covered by the notification law, and increased penalties for identity theft crimes. “I am confident the new Legislature will build on this new law to provide consumers with the protection they need to guard against identity theft,” said Granholm. Senate Bill 309 (Public Act 566) was sponsored by Senator Shirley Johnson (R-Troy). GRANHOLM SIGNS MICHIGAN PROMISE LEGISLATION $4,000 scholarship makes college more affordable for Michigan students LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed legislation creating the Michigan Promise scholarship, a cornerstone of her comprehensive economic plan. Every student in Michigan , beginning with this year’s high school seniors, will now be eligible for a $4,000 scholarship. Granholm signed the legislation at E.A. Johnson High School in Mt. Morris where she talked with students about this new opportunity. Earlier in the week, Granholm met with students in Lansing and Ferndale . Tomorrow, she will visit Grand Rapids. “The Michigan Promise scholarship opens the doors of education to every student in Michigan ,” said Granholm. “A $4,000 scholarship makes earning a college degree or technical certification a real possibility for every student. It’s an amazing opportunity for our students and a critical necessity for our economy.” Making college more affordable was a key recommendation of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth chaired by Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry, Jr. The commission, which was charged with identifying strategies to double the number of college graduates in Michigan in the next decade, recommended that the state create a “new compact with its residents: an expectation that all students will achieve a post-secondary degree or credential coupled with a guarantee from the state of financial support linked to the achievement of that goal.” The Michigan Promise was first proposed by Governor Granholm in her 2005 State of the State address. Starting with the Class of 2007, every student who attends college or technical training can earn a $4,000 scholarship – $1,500 more than the current Merit Award program. Students can attend any two- or four-year school in Michigan , public or private, or a wide array of technical training programs. Students who score well on the high school assessment will receive $1,000 during their freshman and sophomore years and earn the remaining $2,000 after successfully completing two years of post-secondary education. Students who do not receive qualifying scores on the high school assessment can earn the entire $4,000 scholarship by successfully completing two years of post-secondary education. Students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in their post-secondary institution to earn a Michigan Promise scholarship when they reach that two-year point. The governor called the Michigan Promise scholarship a critical step for Michigan 's economy, as the states with the highest number of college graduates have the lowest unemployment rates and the fastest-growing economies. Coupled with the rigorous high school curriculum standards Granholm fought for and signed into law, the Michigan Promise scholarship will position Michigan as the state that will lead the nation in educational achievement and economic growth.
“The evidence is clear: the states with the highest education levels have the most thriving economies and lowest unemployment rates,” said Granholm. The bills signed today were Senate Bill 1335, sponsored by Senator Deborah Cherry (D-Burton), and House Bill 6302, sponsored by Representative Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit). PRESIDENT TO SEEK EXTENSION OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND BILL IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS JANUARY 23, 2007 President George W. Bush will address the nation this evening in his seventh annual State of the Union speech. The word from the White House is that Bush plans to use his speech to garner support for extending the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Bush is also expected to propose balancing the federal budget by 2012 without raising taxes.
Congressional Democrats have also indicated that they will seek to balance the budget, but through very different means than Bush is expected to propose. Bush supports "pro-growth" tax cuts and fiscal restraint, while Congressional Democrats support "investments" in federal programs paid for by tax increases for wealthy earners. The methods used to balance the budget will have significant implications for education funding. Child advocacy organizations, including PTA, are seeking significant, sustained increases in education funding, and the approach taken to balancing the budget will help determine whether increases for social services, including education, are feasible. The State of the Union address is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EST and can be viewed on all the major networks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WESTERN INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PTSA 1500 Scotten Detroit, MI 48209 phone: (313) 849-4758 ext. 2045 fax: 313-849-4695 |
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