Following federal approval of Michigan’s plan to spend federal COVID-relief money, the state will receive the final one-third of $3.7 billion in its education funding approved by Congress in the American Rescue Plan. The U.S. Department of Education approved Michigan’s priorities for the rescue funds earlier this month: expanding early childhood learning opportunities, improving early […]
Tougher penalties could be imposed for anyone who causes physical harm to a school employee or board member, under legislation introduced by former teacher and MEA member Sen. Dayna Polehanki in the state Senate last week. Senate Bill 689 would amend the Michigan Penal Code to set a maximum misdemeanor penalty of one years’ imprisonment […]
The House Education Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to forward a bill to the House floor seeking to bar discussion in schools about important issues of race and gender in classrooms and limit the professional expertise of educators to help students develop important critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Sponsored by Rep. Andrew Beeler (R-Fort Gratiot), […]
This week, the Legislature and Governor reached an agreement on remaining state budget legislation (aside from the K-12 budget adopted this summer), including additional funding for higher education and child care. For higher education, HB 4400 includes $2.2 billion in higher education funding – including increases for community colleges and universities of 1% in state […]
On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate Education Committee advanced a series of bills that would bar local school districts from requiring masks and other measures to keep students and educators safe. SBs 600-603 now go to the full Senate for their consideration – the bills prohibit a variety of health and safety mandates from the state, […]
With just 15 days to go before the state’s fiscal year deadline, budgets for universities and community colleges for this school year are waiting to be finalized in the Legislature. Votes are expected in coming days and MEA members are urged to contact their lawmakers to support the Senate and Governor’s funding plan. Earlier this […]
On Tuesday in Kentwood, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the 2021-22 K-12 education budget, which invests a record $17.1 billion in schools and equalizes the state’s foundation grant funding for districts at $8,700 per pupil. MEA President Paula Herbart joined Whitmer at the press conference announcing the signing. See her remarks in this WLNS news coverage […]
On Wednesday, the State Senate passed the 2021-22 K-12 school budget, adding additional funding to what was already the largest proposed investment in K-12 public schools in the state’s history. The Senate made changes to HB 4411 that added $300 million to the amount agreed to last week by the Governor and the House, putting the new figure […]
EAST LANSING — The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart in response to today’s passage of the 2021-22 K-12 school budget by the Legislature: “Equalizing the state foundation grants for our children’s education is a major step in the right direction for school funding. We appreciate the leadership from Gov. Whitmer […]
The State House passed bipartisan legislation reducing the time spent on standardized testing last week by eliminating the mandate that all students complete the ACT WorkKeys test. The legislation, which now goes to the State Senate for their consideration, allows districts and students who want to take the test to “opt in” instead. This would […]
