Results of 2,600-educator survey show need for Whitmer budget proposals addressing educator shortage and student mental health EAST LANSING – The Michigan Education Association today released a statewide survey of nearly 2,600 educators, with the vast majority of those surveyed saying the state’s acute educator shortage and its impact on students is the most pressing […]
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is proposing the largest funding increase for public education in 20 years, with proposals to recruit and retain educators, increase per-student spending, rebuild mental health supports, expand preschool access, and fund school construction and renovations. In addition, the governor’s budget, presented to lawmakers Wednesday, proposes 5% ongoing increases for the state’s colleges […]
Educators and parents are an essential team for helping students achieve their full potential. But some politicians want to drive a wedge between parents and their children’s teachers in hopes of securing short-term political gain. If left unchecked, these dangerous ploys — in which political extremists create artificial controversies — can cause long-term harm to […]
A third of surveyed districts have had multiple days this school year where student attendance fell beneath the required 75% requirement, forcing some schools to close and others to risk losing state funding– despite staying open for in-person learning. In a Monday press release, MEA and other education organizations explained why lawmakers must take urgent action to […]
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will unveil an ambitious budget plan this week that addresses Michigan’s educator shortage as well as mental health and learning needs for students. Whitmer is proposing to provide the biggest increase in education spending in 20 years. The governor’s budget director is set to present the spending recommendations to lawmakers Wednesday. Whitmer’s […]
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to deliver her annual State of the State message on Wednesday evening, during which she will urge the Legislature to repeal the pension tax implemented under her predecessor, Rick Snyder. According to media reports, Whitmer will call for the rollback of the tax implemented on seniors’ pensions enacted in 2012, […]
Several MEA communications efforts over the past two years won awards this week from the State Education Affiliate Communicators, with MEA competing against similarly sized NEA state affiliates from across the country. In case you missed any of these award winning pieces when they originally were published, you can check them out below (with the category […]
Finding light and being the light during dark times. That’s the theme of MEA’s winter webinar series, “The Light of Winter Stars.” An offering of MEA’s Center for Leadership & Learning, this new series of peer-led, SCHEH-eligible webinars will run from January 18 through March 24. Topics for this series include managing stress and anxiety […]
In recent days, rising COVID-19 cases mixed with staffing shortages have forced many school districts to switch to virtual instruction or cancel classes. It’s a numbers game when there aren’t enough adults to safely have students in school. The pandemic has exacerbated Michigan’s acute educator shortage. The heightened stress, crushing additional workloads, and destructive political […]
In the coming weeks, MEA will hold a second round of Roundtable Discussions for members who identify as people of color. Similar discussions yielded strong discussions about the specific challenges and needs facing educators of color throughout Michigan. All discussions are from 6-7:30 p.m. on the following dates: · January 19 – Ann Arbor · […]
