As Michigan’s budget process enters the final stretch, lawmakers must maintain our state’s momentum by passing an education budget that prioritizes increasing educator compensation so we can provide every student with trained, qualified and caring school employees. Thanks to the bipartisan support from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature, Michigan has passed record levels of […]
By MEA President Chandra Madafferi Federal school rescue funds provided by the Biden administration to help Michigan students recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will run out later this year, and it’s critical that our leaders identify revenue streams to maintain the progress our schools have been making. Michigan received a total of […]
By Chandra Madafferi Ever since I could stand, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. My dad bought a few desks and an old chalkboard and put them in our basement. I even have funny memories of creating “lesson plans” for my sister, and yes, she will tell you I gave her homework. I […]
By Chandra Madafferi Certified school librarians across Michigan are doing amazing work to help increase literacy rates and spark a love of reading among students. As a state, we must work to ensure every student has access to a certified librarian in their school. Certified school librarians run vibrant programs that allow students to learn […]
By Chandra Madafferi More than ever, our kids need a running start at a high-quality public education and a boost as they graduate from high school to prepare for the competitive modern workforce. It starts in preschool, which provides the building blocks for student learning and development of essential social skills to last a lifetime. […]
By Chandra Madafferi I feel optimistic when meeting first-year educators, who tell me they are excited and ready to face the future. Many say they still chose to go into the profession despite others trying to talk them out of it. These are educators we desperately need to keep – for the sake of our […]
By Chandra Madafferi One of the most important things we can do during the holidays is take time to practice gratitude and remind ourselves of all that we are grateful for. This holiday season, Michigan educators, parents and supporters of public education have a lot to celebrate. Thanks to the hard work of Michigan Education […]
By Chandra Madafferi Michigan educators and communities are doing amazing things with the billions of dollars our state has received in federal school rescue funds. While there’s still plenty of great work to be done, time is running out for school districts to put this one-time funding to good use. Our state received $5.6 billion […]
By Chandra Madafferi and Terrence Martin From small farm towns to the inner city and the suburbs, every student in Michigan deserves an opportunity to succeed, and that’s why education leaders are excited about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s new initiative designed to keep kids and their parents from falling through the cracks. This summer, Whitmer announced […]
By Chandra Madafferi From planning a holiday feast or sharing Instagram-worthy photos of an amazing meal, food invokes powerful feelings. But for some families that struggle with food insecurity, those strong feelings aren’t necessarily positive. A student once asked me, “Mrs. M., can you just go to a grocery store and get whatever you want, […]
