Accountability on Deck in Mich.

By Robert C. Johnston

With its new proposal to revamp how K-12 public schools are evaluated, the Michigan Department of Education took the first step in what will likely be a broad, yearlong effort by state leaders to raise school accountability.

Gov. John Engler and legislators are also expected to unveil plans this month to deal with low-performing schools.

"Education will clearly be the overriding section in his State of the State speech," Mr. Engler's spokesman, John Truscott, said of the Republican governor's annual address, slated for Jan. 28. "Accountability will...