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MASN Legislation request

Posted about 7 years ago by Rachel VanDenBrink

MASN members,

The MASN president (Evilia Jankowski) and Legislative Chair (Pat Bednarz) reviewed the draft Michigan’s Approach to the Every Student Succeeds Act plan and believe it communicates what has been discussed at the meetings we attended over the past six months. The report states that the “key goal is to reduce the negative impact high risk factors play in impeding access to a quality education—factors like poverty and a lack of equitable resources. To meet this goal, Michigan looks to establish and implement a high quality differentiated multi-tiered system of support designed to address identified student needs.”  Partnership districts will receive the most intense supports for students. “Whole child” outcomes that can impede improved academics—like health, nutrition, behavior, social/emotional will be addressed.

The area of the report that impacts school nursing is the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) that can assist identifying children’s needs that go beyond academics, such as health and physical education, school climate and safety and access to special services (counselors, nurses, social services, librarians, etc.) as well as other services. The state plans on redesigning the CNA that takes the multiple needs assessments used by various initiatives and integrates those, along with additional questions, into one, truly comprehensive, whole child focused needs assessment. MASN board members may remember MASN submitted additional questions for consideration that were accepted by MDE. A sample template School Improvement Plan for using school nursing services was also submitted to MDE.

We are encouraging MASN members to provide their input about the plan to the Department of Education. Below is information about how and where to provide public comment.

MASN members can read the draft plan for more detail at:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Overview_of_Michigan_ESSA_Consolidated_Plan_Draft_551663_7.pdf

Public Comment

Individuals and organizations are invited to review the plan and submit comments through the following channels:

• Email comments to MDE-ESSA@michigan.gov

• Mail comments to ESSA State Plan Comments, Michigan Department of Education, Office of the State Superintendent, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909

All comments must arrive at MDE no later than close of business on March 16, 2017.

The MDE requests that comments reflecting the official position of a group or organization be provided on organization letterhead, indicating specific areas of support or concern with various aspects of the plan.