By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor UPDATE 9/16: Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in Lansing for an Education Budget Lobby Day — RSVP now! A deep dive into the state budget passed by Michigan House Republicans shows their aim is to cut $1.4 billion from schools and $1.6 billion from other state programs to boost […]
By Chandra Madafferi, MEA President & CEO School buildings throughout our Michigan communities are once again becoming hubs of activity, as students and educators begin another school year. However, with the buzz of activity and excitement also comes a sobering reality: Health care costs are skyrocketing for school employees in particular, and this hurts our […]
Survey results highlight need for House Bill 6058 to be signed into law without further delay In a statewide MEA survey, 80% of Michigan public school educators who responded said they have been paying more out-of-pocket health care costs since January, with the average increase at $2,400 more per year. The survey results highlight the […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Despite uncertainty from lack of a state budget, educators in a number of Michigan school districts spent their spring and summer securing solid wins in contracts that underscore the importance of union expertise, cohesion and leadership. Latest from Lansing The state House and Senate still have failed to agree […]
EAST LANSING — The following statement can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President and CEO Chandra Madafferi, a teacher from Oakland County, in response to the State Board of Education’s selection of Glenn Maleyko as Michigan’s next State Superintendent of Public Instruction: “MEA looks forward to working with Superintendent Maleyko and the State Board […]
Every Labor Day, we’re reminded of the power of solidarity in the fight for progress. With the debate still ongoing around this year’s education budget, we are encouraging members to come together and convey a simple message: We Love Public Education – that’s why it’s past time to approve a quality education budget for our […]
Legislative and political landscapes in Michigan and Washington, D.C. are changing every day, and this magazine takes a few weeks to print and arrive to you, so timely updates are challenging. In general we can say this: At the federal level, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is cutting funding for public schools, while trying to […]
QUOTABLES “Now we just need to get the word out that this opportunity is available statewide for prospective educators in our rural regions.” — MEA member Kathryn Dirkin, a faculty member at Central Michigan University and director of Partnerships and Programming at MiCAREER Resource Hub, a new initiative offering no-cost credentialing to current and prospective…
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In the early 1980s, when Roy Freeman first became a school custodian following a post-high school stint in the U.S. Navy, strong health benefits kept him on stable footing when his newborn child spent time in neonatal intensive care. But over a long career Freeman has seen pay and […]
Stories by Brenda Ortega, MEA Voice Editor This report features MEA members combating Michigan’s educator shortage. In early 2020, MEA stood as one of the first organizations to recognize a gathering crisis and raise alarm bells about the urgency of a growing educator shortage. Ever since then, our members, leaders and staff have been at…
