MEA member Kecia Waddell began her career in the analog world, moved into digital, and will finish in the artificial intelligence age. A 30-year special education teacher in Utica, she couldn’t be more excited. “I’ve always integrated technology for transformative teaching and learning experiences for my students, but I’m so, so, so excited to have […]
Retired educator Isabell Nazar could not mathematically pinpoint the positive effects of a new law that will save her pension from being taxed; instead the former 38-year middle school science teacher from rural Homer in Calhoun County declared, “It will improve my life to the nth degree.” A board member of MEA-Retired, Nazar was among […]
By Chandra Madafferi I feel optimistic when meeting first-year educators, who tell me they are excited and ready to face the future. Many say they still chose to go into the profession despite others trying to talk them out of it. These are educators we desperately need to keep – for the sake of our […]
As 2023 comes to a close, we have so much to celebrate as educators and believers in the promise of public education. Together with the friends of education we helped to elect, we’ve accomplished so much in Lansing for our students, our schools and our colleagues. Record levels of funding for PK-12, community colleges and [...]
With the end of legislative action for 2023, there were many victories to celebrate for students, educators, and the institution of public education that saw action in Lansing in recent weeks. Teacher Evaluations – Fixed Senate Bill 395, introduced by state Sen. Dayna Polehanki (an MEA member and former teacher), and Senate Bill 396, introduced by […]
Gov. Whitmer has signed a bill making important changes to the post-retirement employment window and earnings limits for school retirees who choose to return to work. House Bill 4752 (now Public Act 147 of 2023), introduced by Rep. Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth), shortens the waiting period for a retiree with a bona fide retirement to work […]
Watch for action this fall on some key education priorities in the Michigan Legislature, including: Senate Bill 395 to amend Michigan’s teacher evaluation system to remove student growth from educator scores, eliminate punitive aspects of the system to focus on teacher development, and get rid of mandates to test kindergarten students in the first 30 […]
