As a former educator myself, I recognize that education reform must focus on the student in collaboration with informed parents and competent teachers. With the state’s dropout age increasing from 16 to 18, it is more important than ever to enact my legislation to give struggling students the assistance they need for success in school and economic independence.

Approved by the Senate in July, my reform provides a model approach and structure without a mandate to establish key benchmarks for grade-level achievement and strongly encourages evaluation, intervention and programs in the state’s lowest-performing 5 percent of public schools. Senate Bill 1284 builds on my SAVE the Children initiative, which allows intermediate school districts to develop model early intervention programs for children in kindergarten through third grade.

While struggling students will be helped more by the landmark reforms we enacted in January than any one-time federal money boost, the reforms were missing a systematic program to recognize students starting to struggle, intervene early and follow them to ensure they succeed.

My legislation will put in place a proven plan to identify student weaknesses and work to remediate them in a comprehensive manner. Understanding that kids start to struggle early on, programs like SAVE have actually reduced costs and improved student academic performance at the same time. All this can be accomplished within the framework of existing school resources. We can help struggling students without federal assistance.

Bills protecting Michigan auto dealers signed into law

Legislation that strengthens Michigan’s auto franchise law and helps protect car dealers was recently signed by the governor. Public Acts 138-141 of 2010 are in direct response to the massive wave of dealership closings that resulted from the Chrysler and GM bankruptcy proceedings. Many of the thousands of dealership closures nationwide occurred in Michigan – costing the state thousands of jobs.

Most of the Michigan auto dealerships shut down were long-time job providers, tax-payers and members of our communities. Despite a lengthy state and local economic recession, these family-owned businesses chose to stay here.

These measures add to the list of actions that manufacturers are prohibited from taking, including imposing unreasonable performance standards or requiring unreasonable improvements to a dealership. The new laws were the result of extensive negotiations between auto dealers and manufacturers, so as to ensure fairness – not tilt the playfield in anyone’s direction.

Approve a balanced state budget - now

Three months ago, Senate Republicans once again approved a balanced budget without raising taxes. Understanding the economic and fiscal realities our residents and the state are facing, we balanced an expected $1.3 billion shortfall for Fiscal Year 2011 by cutting spending and making structural reforms.

On July 1, the Legislature approved a school aid budget to get certainty and additional dollars to our schools. While that was a positive step, the rest of the state budget remains unfinished. My Senate Republican colleagues and I have worked to reduce the size, scope and cost of government, because we know that continuing to spend like the state has in the past is unsustainable.

The primary has passed. Senate Republicans have completed our budget plan. Now is the time for the House to act. I urge the House to stop stonewalling on the budget. They must pass the Senate plan or come to the negotiating table with a clear alternative – not balanced with revenues “To Be Determined.”

This isn’t baseball. Going to extra innings is not an acceptable option.

For more information, visit my Web site at www.SenatorNancyCassis.com. Or contact me toll free at 1-888-38-NANCY.