The former governor of Florida and brother to former President George W. Bush said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's education reform plan is a bold but necessary approach.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Snyder, Bush said the proposal – first outlined in April – puts Michigan on the right track for fiscal responsibility, reports the Associated Press. Among other factors, the legislation would introduce new measures for teacher tenure, favoring teacher performance rather than seniority when deciding which teachers to lay off in a tight budget climate.
Bush, founder of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, told a state Senate subcommittee earlier in the day that Snyder's approach rewards top teachers.
"If Michigan gets this right … you will have an economic climate where people will want to pursue their dreams," Bush said, according to the AP. "If you change the system, great teachers will excel and students can learn."
Some school districts in Michigan have announced layoffs in order to come to terms with an anticipated 2.2 percent budget cut this fall, according to reports.
