A series of motions were crafted into the following resolution for presentation, first, to the MAISA Council, then to the Michigan Department of Education and the State Board of Education.

Be it now therefore resolved that the MAISA Programs and Services Committee form a standing advisory group to work with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) on issues regarding implementation of the NCLB system in Michigan and,

Whereas, the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) Programs and Services Committee supports the use of “performance indicators” as part of the Education YES! accreditation system, and

Whereas, we the committee affirm the use of multiple factors and balanced assessment methods as part of the accreditation system and oppose the use of a single letter grade as a summative assessment of school quality, and

Whereas, the committee celebrates the quality of the effort put forth by the schools in completing the “performance indicators” assessment, and

Whereas, the Committee supports the position of the MDE to exclude limited-English and non-English speaking students, who by local policy are deemed unable to appropriately participate from taking the English language version of the MEAP, and

Whereas, the Committee supports the position of MDE that this local policy option be available for individual students for up to three-years and that foreign language equivalent tests be developed to meet the requirements of NCLB, and

Whereas, the MAISA Programs and Services Committee supports the position of MDE to exclude subgroup desegregated data from the AYP report for year one, and supports the use of a three-year rolling average for computing AYP, and

Whereas, we support the position of MDE to provide the opportunity for schools to qualify for the “safe harbor provision” by recalculating adequate yearly progress and indicating “advisory” status for schools that are identified as in need of improvement using year one data, and

Be it further resolved that this MAISA advisory committee work with the MDE in developing a response to the United States Department of Education (USDOE) regarding the state system for NCLB, and

Be it further resolved that Michigan’s ISDs work closely with MDE to provide the communication materials, professional development and technical assistance necessary to help every school that is under “advisory status,” design and implement an improvement plan that meets the state requirements under NCLB.