By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Michigan's high school students are improving test scores in writing and math. But results from this year's Michigan Merit Exam also showed worse scores in reading and science.
Michael Flanagan is state superintendent. He says the status quo is no longer acceptable and schools will need to rethink how to teach students effectively.
Flanagan says, "These kids are very different. They're not going to sit in a classroom in a row. They're going to want to be project-based, they're going to want to have opportunities with technology. And we're pushing out teacher-ed institutions to get ready for that. They've got to be preparing teachers that can teach this new kind of student."
Flanagan says the state's proposed budget cuts to K-12 schools would force schools to do more with less, and that might not be a bad thing.