Provide Input for Michigan's Top 10 in 10 Plan

Right now, Michigan's Department of Education is asking for input related to their Top 10 in 10 plan.  To make your voice heard, you can respond to the survey found here.

Michigan's current plan was drafted in 2016 and has been guiding MI education since then. In September, 2019, State Superintendent Dr. Rice shared with the State Board of Education that our plan needed to be reviewed and updated.

“We’re asking the public to help shape Michigan’s education goals,” said Dr. Rice. “It is my expectation, and that of the State Board of Education, that an updated plan will be more streamlined and focused, and will have measures that align with the goals to help us monitor progress toward becoming a top education state.”

Preparing to Complete the Survey

Goals and Principles

Question number one asks for you to indicate the level of importance of a listed aspect related to whether or not it should be included as a goal in Michigan's updated plan or if it should be more of an overarching principle for the entire plan. There are 17 different aspects listed so it may help to think about the rating scale and aspects ahead of time.

The aspects listed relate to:

• improving math achievement
• increasing support for students with disabilities
• developing a coordinated and aligned education system
• meeting the needs of the whole child
• increasing the percentage of adults with a post-secondary (after high school) credential
• expanding learning opportunities for high school students
• increasing the percentage of students who graduate from high school
• providing universal preschool for eligible students
• increasing supports for students of color
• engaging with families and communities
• improving reading achievement
• providing adequate and equitable (fair) funding
• addressing the teacher shortage
• providing equity in education
• expanding early childhood learning
• providing quality instruction for all students

The first three choices to select from for level of importance are: Very Important; Somewhat Important; Not Important. These relate to whether or not that aspect should be a specific goal of the plan, meaning should they be direct tasks focused during the timeline for this plan.

The current goals in the Top 10 in 10 plan are: 

1. Provide every child access to an aligned, high-quality P-20 (preschool to college) system from early childhood to post-secondary attainment – through a multi-stakeholder collaboration with business and industry, labor, and higher education – to maximize lifetime learning and success.
2. Implement, with strong district and building leadership, high-quality instruction in every classroom through a highly coherent, child centered instructional model where students meet their self-determined academic and personal goals to their highest potential. 
3. Develop, support, and sustain a high-quality, prepared, and collaborative education workforce. 
4. Reduce the impact of high-risk factors, including poverty, and provide equitable resources to meet the needs of all students to ensure that they have access to quality educational opportunities.
5. Ensure that parents/guardians are engaged and supported partners in their child’s education. 
6.  Create a strong alignment and partnership with job providers, community colleges, and higher education to assure a prepared and quality future workforce, and informed and responsible citizens.
7. Further develop an innovative and cohesive state education agency that supports an aligned, coherent education system at all levels (state, ISD, district, and school).

The last two choices for level of importance are: Important, but not as a goal area in the updated plan; Not a goal area, but an overarching principle for the updated plan.

The current guiding principles in the Top 10 in 10 Plan are:

• Michigan must develop a coherent and cohesive strategy for the children, and implement that plan with continuity for multiple years. Education reform takes time; we must implement, use evidence and data to correct course, and continue with progress on key goals.
• A “Can-Do Culture” that focuses on student directed learning and student outcomes and the work on instruction must take priority.
• Data and accountability must be used to help drive resources and focus improvement activities for students and educators. Attention will be on transparency in support of key goals for the entire system to make Michigan a Top 10 state for education.
• Poverty matters, not to be used as an excuse, but as a purpose to design a Michigan system of education that motivates and excites all children about learning, keeps them in school, and provides them with hope and knowledge for a successful future. Michigan must design its supports and systems in a way that recognizes and appropriately addresses the needs of students in poverty.

Plans are reviewed every few years, so the goals change with each new plan some and just because something was not included as a goal in this plan doesn't mean it won't be in the next one. 

What are they missing?

Question 2 asks what goals you think should be included that are not listed above. There is space for you to enter up to five.

Order of Importance 

Question 3 asks you to select and rank your top five of the aspects from Questions 1 AND 2. Yes, you will now need to narrow things down to what you really feel are the big five that count for right now.

Wrapping it Up

Questions 4 and 5 ask how long you think the next plan should be in place before reviewed and updated again and how many goals you think make sense to focus on in the plan for that time period.

Questions 6-8 capture some data related to who has participated in the survey. This is valuable information to help determine if the entire state has been represented in the decision making and all types of individuals.

And, Question 9 is the "additional comments" section where you can add them if you so desire.
The survey is only 9 questions, but it may be a bit overwhelming when you open it at first. To prepare, here are a few things to know.

Be Heard Michigan

If you have previewed this information ahead of time, the survey should not take too long to complete. The survey has currently been open for three weeks and approximately 8,200 people have completed it. Oh wait, I just completed it, so there is at least 8,201 now. 

This is still only 0.1% of Michigan's adult population. 

Come on Michigan - we can do better than that for our 2 million children! Add your input. Be heard.