Michigan Senate passes education reform bills

LANSING, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Budget troubles continue to plague schools across the state as more districts are operating in the red.

41 districts say they ended the last fiscal year with a financial deficit. That's up from 27 districts the year before.

The numbers could grow even larger this year with a nearly $300 per-student funding cut from the state.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal school funding is up for grabs and Michigan is in jeopardy of missing out.

State lawmakers are taking steps to make sure that doesn't happen.

Wednesday the state Senate passed some significant education reform bills in hopes of turning around failing schools in order to qualify for the federal money.

The bills are part of efforts to give Michigan a chance at winning up to $400 million in the Obama administration's Race To The Top competition. The money will be awarded to states that aggressively move to improve their schools.

The federal grant program requires governors to apply to the U.S. Department of Education for the chance at the money.

To get that money our state needs to act this month.

Some of the bills passed by the Senate Wednesday include one that would allow teachers to take a different path to education. Another could increase choice by allowing more charter schools. Another would provide specific support for low-performing schools.

The cash is tied into a program called Project Re-imagine. Six selected states would split $4-billion, beginning in April.

Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Lakeview and Comstock school districts would all be in the running for that cash. But, they will need to enact tougher education standards.

Some of the proposals might anger some in the state though. Part of the effort would repeal the requirement that schools start class for the year after Labor Day. That state law passed back in 2005 to improve tourism in the state.

Now the bills have passed the Senate but they must now go through the House.