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 […]
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 […]
By Dr Charles Hulme, CEO & Founder of OxEd & Assessment, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Education, University of Oxford Oral language is the heart of literacy and learning. It’s fundamental to a child’s educational journey, serving as the foundation for reading, comprehension, communication, and social interaction. Students need to understand and be understood to [...]
By Chandra Madafferi, MEA President & CEO It’s back-to-school season, and in towns and cities across Michigan, parents and educators are gearing up for a new school year. Whether it’s the buzz of a Friday night football game, the excitement of a school play, or the familiar faces in the school pick-up line, our hometown […]
From the federal level down to local districts, schools, and classrooms, more issues than ever are competing for educators’ attention and advocacy. The specific concerns facing early-career educators do not always make it to the top of the priorities list. This should change — and is changing — as veteran educators and union leaders leave […]
UPDATE – July 25: Nearly a month late, the Trump administration abruptly unfroze billions in education funding withheld from states by the U.S. Department of Education. Pushes for the funding, due to school districts by July 1, came from constituent calls to Congress and a lawsuit filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and 21 […]
The following statement can be attributed to MEA President & CEO Chandra Madafferi and AFT Michigan President Terrence Martin regarding ongoing education budget discussions in Lansing: Michigan students and the educators who serve them every day deserve a budget that invests in their success. Lawmakers shouldn’t settle for an education budget that doesn’t invest every […]
By Erik Edoff, Senior Executive Director, Michigan Education Association Next year’s education budget has dominated recent headlines from the State Capitol, but zooming out to compare how Michigan schools are funded compared to other states is important to student success over time. Despite some progress over the past few years, Michigan still ranks in the […]
A new statewide Bill of Rights campaign aimed at improving the wages, benefits and working conditions of school support staff was rolled out on Friday at the annual MEA conference for Education Support Professionals (ESP). Modeled after similar campaigns launched in other states, including Maryland, Illinois and Massachusetts, the Michigan ESP Bill of Rights calls […]
Shoe Club Nation, a nonprofit organization founded by Michigan educator Matt Hamilton, is launching a search for “Educator All-Stars” to help expand the program to middleschools across Michigan. Hamilton, who was recently named the National Education Association Foundation’s 2025 Award for Teaching Excellence, created the Shoe Club 17 years ago in East Jordan, Michigan, following […]
