Waterford Today

LANSING, Mich. - Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, expressed her concerns about the education goals outlined in the Growing Michigan Together Council's report. The report, which addressed the state's stagnant population, failed to address the issue of reading proficiency among Michigan's children.

Sen. Johnson highlighted the discrepancy between the well-funded school budget and the low reading scores of fourth-graders in Michigan. She stated, "We passed the best-funded and most equitable school budget in our state's history and yet our fourth-graders are 43rd in reading scores nationally. We've dropped 11 places nationally since 2019 under this governor."

Drawing attention to the report's omission, Sen. Johnson pointed out that despite two-thirds of Michigan's children not being proficient in reading or math in fourth or eighth grade, the report did not mention reading in any of its education recommendations. She criticized the governor's approach, saying, "The governor wants us to believe we're ready for dessert when really we need to start by eating our vegetables."

Sen. Johnson also voiced her concerns about the accountability standards in Michigan's schools, stating that under Democrat control in Lansing, accountability standards have been slashed and student progress is no longer a major factor in evaluating the performance of teachers. She emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in order to attract new businesses and promote population growth in the state.

In conclusion, Sen. Ruth Johnson expressed her disappointment with the education goals outlined in the population council report. She emphasized the need to prioritize reading proficiency among Michigan's children and maintain accountability standards in order to foster growth and attract businesses to the state.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.senatorruthjohnson.com/sen-ruth-johnson-comments-on-education-goals-in-population-council-report/