Bipartisan coalition shows we can all work together to improve public schools
Bipartisan coalition shows we can all work together to improve public schools
By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO
Michigan students need us to cooperate with one another and help improve our local schools because, despite many innovative public education initiatives across the state, we do not have a system of excellence — and it shows.
Our state was once a leader in education, but we now lag behind dozens of states in numerous education measurements, including the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, released last week.
This decline didn’t happen overnight. Although our governor has invested record levels of money back into preK-12 education, it has not fully corrected decades of divestment in our schools.
Inadequate funding for public schools drove low wages and loss of rights for teachers and school support staff, directly contributing to the educator shortage. Students ultimately paid the price. When we don’t have enough high-quality educators working in our schools, the result is less individual attention, lower test scores and graduation rates, and fewer students who are prepared for college or the workplace.
Make no mistake: We are making some progress. Thanks to bipartisan efforts to attract more talent to the education profession, more college students are pursuing teaching degrees after years of shrinking enrollment in teacher preparation programs. The Legislature and governor passed a law in October to bolster elementary literacy and identify dyslexia among students. School employees across the state are beginning to see modest pay increases and the restoration of their basic workplace rights.
However, it will take a lot more to right the ship and help guarantee that every student, no matter where they live in Michigan, has the opportunity to succeed. It will also take all of us working together, regardless of political party or beliefs, to advocate for our students.
That’s where Launch Michigan comes in. This coalition has brought together leaders in the business, philanthropic and education communities to research and propose bipartisan policies to improve student outcomes. This can make Michigan a state that attracts investments, creates good jobs and boosts the economy.
One of Launch Michigan’s significant accomplishments to date is the creation of the MI Future Educator Fellowship program. This initiative offers $10,000 scholarships to aspiring teachers annually to reduce financial barriers and attract more talent to the teaching profession. The program also provides stipends for student teachers who previously went uncompensated for their classroom work.
These efforts, from literacy initiatives to educator attraction programs, will take time to bear fruit. In the meantime, there is much more we must do together to elevate the teaching profession and attract the best and brightest educators who can prepare students for the jobs of the future. This includes offering strong salaries and benefits so more talented people—including a higher percentage of men—can feel comfortable supporting their families with a teaching career without needing to work multiple jobs.
We must also ensure teachers are placed in areas they are qualified to teach and reduce the number of permanent substitutes as much as possible. We need to ensure all school staff receive high-quality professional development, that schools have certified librarians in every building with fully operational libraries, and class sizes are low enough for teachers to provide the extra support kids need. Counselors should have manageable caseloads, paraeducators should earn a livable wage, and principals should have many years of excellent teaching practice to mentor newer teachers effectively.
As you can see, we have a long way to go.
Now more than ever, we must work together — Democrats and Republicans, business and labor, management and school staff, parents and families — on behalf of Michigan students. Our children are counting on us to improve Michigan’s public education system and truly Launch Michigan into the future.
Labor Voices
Labor Voices columns are written on a rotating basis by United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights Executive Secretary-Treasurer Tom Lutz and selected Service Employees International Union members.
