By Chandra Madafferi, President and CEO, Michigan Education Association Improving student literacy here in Michigan promises to be a major topic throughout 2026, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer committing to it as a top issue for her final year in office, as noted in her final State of the State address last week. Whether a student […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Michigan voters are likely to see the phrase “record school funding” in campaign mailers from both political parties this election year. The difference will be in perspective. One side will use the term to tout recent gains in school funding as a point of pride in better supporting educators […]
Two decades ago, MEA member Josh Cowen began his career as an education researcher without strong opinions on school vouchers and full of idealism about the potential for scientific data to help make public schools the best they can be. Over time, working alongside voucher advocates to evaluate programs, he watched as evidence mounted showing […]
The 2026-27 budget season officially started on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with the presentation of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s eighth and final budget recommendation to the Legislature. MEA’s initial analysis follows—be aware that there’s more review to come, and that this is only the first step in the process. Both the Senate and House will make their […]
By Erik Edoff, MEA Senior Executive Director Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is signing bipartisan legislation this morning that limits smartphone use among K-12 students during instructional time. This has been a top priority for Michigan Education Association members working in schools across the state, and it’s proof that lawmakers can make good things happen when they […]
RELATED: Bipartisan limits on classroom phone use can build momentum on online protections for kids – Detroit Free Press op-ed by MEA Senior Executive Director Erik Edoff — The Michigan Education Association praised state lawmakers for a new bipartisan state law signed on Tuesday requiring that school districts adopt policies limiting student smartphone use during instructional […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor On the final exam in government class each semester, MEA member and social studies teacher Chloe Root asks students to explain how the federal system of checks and balances works to prevent abuses of power. This year some of her students at Community High School in Ann Arbor chose […]
MEA members are encouraged to contact their lawmakers in support of Senate Bill 508, which will be up for a hearing in the Senate on Thursday, Jan. 29. SB 508 would designate certain places like schools, courthouses and other “sensitive locations” as immigration-enforcement-free zones. Children should not have to fear being taken by ICE while they sit […]
It was a year of much political division in the Legislature for 2025, with a record-low number of new laws. With the 2026 legislative session about to begin on the third week of January, Speaker Matt Hall is reportedly aiming for another year with minimal laws passed. That said, there were several bills signed into law late […]
By Amy Urbanowski-Nowak Birch Run Education Association When I was a young child, I often dreamt of being a teacher… and a horse trainer, but that’s a story for another day. I would ask my sisters to play the role of the student or set up my stuffed animals if my sisters grew tired of […]
