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Bill

SB 378

Education: school districts; letter grade system for ranking public schools; provide for. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1280h.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Thomas Albert and 7 co-sponsors

Michigan would establish A-F letter grades ranking all public schools, creating standardized accountability but raising questions about fairness, implementation metrics, and effects on struggling districts.

SENATE CO-SPONSOR(S) NAMED: THOMAS ALBERT
#education:schooldistricts #stateagencies(existing):education
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Bill Summary · SB 378

Legislative bill overview

SB 378 would amend Michigan's school code to establish a letter grade system (A-F) for ranking public schools statewide. The bill creates a new statutory mechanism under Section 1280h to implement and define how schools would receive these grades based on unspecified performance metrics.

Why is this important

School letter grades directly influence parent enrollment decisions, property values in school districts, teacher recruitment, and public perception of education quality. This system would create a standardized public accountability measure across Michigan's roughly 500 school districts, potentially reshaping how communities evaluate and fund schools.

Potential points of contention

  • Metric definition unclear: The bill doesn't specify what factors determine grades (test scores, graduation rates, growth, equity metrics, etc.), leaving critical implementation details undefined
  • Socioeconomic fairness concerns: Letter grades may penalize schools serving high-poverty areas without accounting for resource disparities or student demographics
  • Unintended consequences: Schools receiving low grades could face enrollment flight, reduced funding, and staff turnover—potentially worsening rather than improving struggling schools

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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