State Initiatives on Global Learning (Link to ASIA Society Web-Site)

State Initiatives on Global Learning http://asiasociety.org/node/20794

State economies are no longer competing with the state next door. They are competing with countries around the world for trade, foreign direct investment, and job creation. States are also major investors in human capital. States have the responsibility for assuring that children receive an adequate education. Today, more than ever, that education must include global knowledge and skills. As the realization that we need to better prepare our students for these new global realities sets in, states have been working individually and collectively on initiatives to integrate international knowledge and skills into schools. Asia Society and the Longview Foundation have been working with more than 25 of these states through the States Network on International Education in the Schools. This network serves to assist states in building capacity in global and international education. This map provides examples of state-led innovations to promote international education. It is not intended to be comprehensive but illustrative, drawing from the work of the states that have participated in the States Network. Connect with what's happening in your state, and peruse ideas that have worked for other states.

Michigan

Like many states, Michigan faces continuing economic challenges that underscore the need for and value of preparing students to understand and respond to their global context.  In response, the Michigan legislature and State Board of Education established new high school graduation requirements that include two years of a world language and one year of world history; this June high schools across the state graduated the first cohort of students under these new requirements.  

To meet the new world language graduation requirements, districts need to design assessments to determine if students have achieved proficiency at the Novice High Level based on the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines, so the Michigan Department of Education has provided professional development sessions on prototype assessments in Spanish and French.  The state’s Project ReImagine has allowed several districts to request special waivers of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Flanagan to pursue innovative initiatives such as world language immersion in the elementary grades and extended virtual learning experiences. 

Much of the growth in international education is happening at the local level. For example, the 28 school districts in populous Oakland County have committed themselves to providing K-12 instruction in Chinese language and culture to their 200,000 students.  Several districts such as those in Rockford and Farwell have instituted language immersion programs at the pre-K or early elementary level and are adding grade levels each year as students progress. 

The Oxford Community Schools have fully embraced the importance of global competency as part of a focus on 21st century skills: all of its schools are working toward full IB accreditation by 2012, and all students will receive nine years of world language instruction beginning in kindergarten. Students can choose from either Mandarin Chinese or Spanish, and they receive daily language instruction across disciplines. This spring, Oxford established its International Residence Academy, which will host high school students from around the world, and a college-preparatory senior high school in Shenyang, China that includes a one- or two-year residential experience in Oxford.  

The district also announced plans for a new International Virtual High School that will allow students from within the district and around the world to take courses online at any time.  The Carrollton Public Schools have established an “International Home” for visiting teachers, students and foreign dignitaries and, in partnership with Saginaw Valley State University, have sent representatives to visit and establish relationships with schools and educators in India, China and Japan.

In many of these efforts, Michigan State University has played a role in identifying and developing important resources for districts through several offices in its College of Education, including the Office of K-12 Outreach Programs. A collaboration between MSU and Michigan Virtual High School has provided on-line instruction in Mandarin Chinese at seven levels of language to students in 10 states from California to Maine.  The college has established a strong relationship with Southwest University in Chongqing, China that enables undergraduates from its Global Educators Cohort a month-long summer experience as an international scholar. 

As a university, MSU has committed to offering an international experience to every undergraduate and faculty member.

For the past five years the Office of K-12 Outreach has partnered with the non-profit Education Alliance of Michigan in sponsoring statewide conferences on internationalizing Michigan education. The Office for K-12 Outreach has also integrated an international dimension into its on-going work in school reform by becoming the first American hub for iNet, the International Networking for Educational Transformation, which links over 5,000 schools in more than 30 countries around the world in order to prepare students to live and thrive in a global community.  In recognition of the more than 150 schools in Michigan that have joined the network, iNet chose Michigan State University to host the 7th iNet International Conference in February, 2011. 

Newly elected Governor Rick Snyder addressed the delegates and urged them to find best practices throughout the world and bring them to Michigan schools.

Contact: Barbara Markle, Assistant Dean for K-12 Outreach, College of Education, Michigan State University, 517-353-8950,Markle@msu.edu.