Lame-duck legislature’s are whittling away the powers of incoming Democratic governors in Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Michigan Legislature narrowly approved a school grading system although such grades have no value and most legislators know it. School grades based on test scores typically stigmatize schools in poor communities while doing nothing to help them.

However, the Michigan Legislature did not approve a commission with powers greater than the state board (at least, not yet).

Schools will be graded A to F on five measures under a bill passed by the Michigan House of Representatives at 3 a.m. Thursday. But the compromise bill watered down an effort by the GOP to grab power over Michigan schools.

House Bill 5526 narrowly passed the House, 56-53, wrapping up a marathon burst of legislating that began Wednesday morning and stretched hours past midnight in Michigan’s frantic lame duck session.

The bill was unpopular among Democrats and some Republicans because of skepticism that giving schools grades would improve learning, and because the bill, up until the early hours this morning, created a powerful education commission that usurped broad authority over school accountability schools from the State Board of Education, the education department and incoming Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Because the majority of those commission members could be appointed by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder on his way out the door, the commission was seen by critics as a way to undercut control of Michigan schools from Democratic Gov.-elect Whitmer, and from the state board, which will become majority Democrat in January.