A far-ranging proposal to reform education released by Gov. Rick Snyder Wednesday proposes sweeping changes in everything from teacher tenure to virtual learning and lengths of school years to school bullying.

Snyder’s education reform plan had been highly anticipated by local superintendents, who said many of his ideas made sense, including continued focus on student achievement and encouraging more college coursework during the high school years.

“To compete on a world-wide scale, our education system must evolve from one that served us well in the past to one that embraces the challenges and opportunities of the new century,” Snyder said in a written message addressed to the Legislature. “A grammar school education once suited the agrarian age, and a high-school education suited the assembly line age. A high-quality post-secondary education is needed for the technology age.”

For the rest of the article, go to Snyder’s education wide-ranging reform plan ‘a lofty goal’

The two most significant factors contributing to student achievement are related to socio-economic status and teacher quality. In large part, these are determined by factors outside of an individual student’s control. Fortunately, virtual learning, a phenomenon that’s rapidly expanding, can break down these age-old barriers.

Virtual learning is a new method of delivering instruction to students. Lessons are provided by teachers working remotely through the Internet, by specially designed software or by a combination of both. Some courses don’t require daily attendance in a brick-and-mortar building, while others supplement a regular class schedule.

For the rest of the article, go to Online commentary: Virtual learning works for many students