Midland Public Schools invests COVID-19 School Rescue Funds in classroom libraries

In the heart of Michigan’s landscape, a recent decision has sparked a narrative of prioritizing literacy in our schools. To support their literacy vision statement and new reading curriculum, Midland Public Schools allocated over $500,000 in federal ESSER III (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds, part of the American Rescue Plan, to build classroom […]

Three Years In, American Rescue Plan Buoys Students and Educators

President Biden faced deeply complicated problems from the day he took office in January 2021. Many Americans were struggling and suffering at the height of the pandemic. But even as the administration worked to jump start life-saving medical research, keep businesses afloat, and help vulnerable families and individuals, the needs of students and educators were […]

Michigan’s educators prioritize student health, success in school rescue fund plans

Michigan’s dedicated public school educators prioritized the safety, health, well-being and success of their students when planning use of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. The funds, distributed district by district, include the largest amount allocated by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in the American Rescue Plan to address learning […]

NEA president’s school visits spotlight Michigan successes: ‘I will tell your stories everywhere I go’

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor NEA President Becky Pringle and MEA President Chandra Madafferi serve free breakfast to students at Dublin Elementary in Walled Lake, the first stop of a two-day, four-district tour. NEA President Becky Pringle visited four school districts in Michigan last week to see what change looks like when a governor [...]

COVID relief funds used to support students, educators

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic rippled out into nearly every aspect of our lives, and public education was no exception. Michigan’s students and educators have faced unprecedented challenges in the aftermath of extended periods of remote learning and emotional trauma inflicted by a worldwide pandemic. To help alleviate the impact and ensure our neighborhood […]