A broad coalition of education groups issued a call Monday in Lansing for improved school accountability, but insisted it was not prompted by the voucher proposal on the November ballot.

The plan issued by the Accountability Task Force calls for increased efforts by lawmakers, school staff and parents to make schools better. It also includes a list of issues tied to better education, ranging from money to curriculum to student attendance. And it listed ways to measure accountability, including test scores, millages and audits.

"What we're looking for is a system that holds all schools accountable," said Brad Baltensperger, task force chairman and member of the Michigan Association of School Boards, which formed the task force.

The task force laid out no immediate steps to improve Michigan schools, but members said broad agreement on what was needed was unprecedented. The coalition included school boards, administrators, parents' groups, teacher unions and the state Department of Education.

"We're willing to do whatever it takes to increase student achievement and enhance student learning," said Lu Battaglieri, president of the Michigan Education Association, a task force member. "We are not afraid of accountability."

The group's plan didn't impress a spokesman for Kids First! Yes!, the group that supports a ballot proposal forcing school districts with low graduation rates to offer vouchers for private schools.

"I think it is an attempt to draw the focus away from the real problem -- 200,000 kids trapped in a system that is failing them," said Greg McNeilly. "I'm not sure a bunch of bureaucratic recommendations are going to have a real impact on real kids."

McNeilly said he didn't buy the argument that the accountability task force wasn't aimed at defusing voucher supporters' arguments that some schools just aren't working.

But task force members said that wasn't the case.

"It has nothing to do with it," said Tony Derezinski, director of government relations for the Michigan Association of School Boards.

Task force leaders said they will continue to meet, and by next June will list key indicators to measure student progress and how to achieve advances.

Voters will decide on Nov. 7 whether to change the state constitution to allow public money to be used for vouchers, which would go to private schools.