On Wednesday, the Michigan House Republicans issued a proposal that made distributing bipartisan federal education funding contingent on the governor giving up important powers to protect public health, including closing schools and suspending activities like athletics if data about how the virus is spreading warrants it. “We need bipartisan action, not political gamesmanship,” said MEA President […]
Sen. Lana Theis (R-Brighton), chair of the Senate Education and Career Readiness Committee, has launched an online survey to hear from educators, parents and students about the impact of COVID-19 on education. The survey is meant to gather “first-hand accounts, feedback and recommendations [to] help lawmakers evaluate where we are one year on and help […]
In a State of the State speech like no other – following a year of historic events, unprecedented challenges, and difficult choices – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed on Wednesday evening to put forth an education budget in coming weeks that addresses the fallout. “I want to say thank you—thank you to our incredible educators, administrators, […]
EAST LANSING — The following statements can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address and related developments in Lansing today. Regarding investment in education to meet the diverse needs of students: “The pandemic has laid bare many of the inequities in our education system. […]
MEA members’ lobbying efforts helped to score a victory in the Michigan Legislature’s abbreviated lame duck session in December – winning hazard pay grants for some school employees left out of the original legislation, including preschool and adult education teachers. Despite having numerous scheduled session days cancelled because of coronavirus exposure, before they left for […]
A COVID relief package passed in the waning hours of the 116th U.S. Congress could deliver a significant boost to Michigan school districts looking to pay for additional costs of operating amid a global pandemic – if President Trump signs the bill into law. According to MEA Economist Tanner Delpier, the median Michigan district should […]
The coronavirus has stymied much of the lame duck legislation that Republican leaders might have hoped to pass before a new state Legislature is seated in January, as positive tests for COVID-19 among lawmakers and staffers forced the state House to cancel several planned meetings. The cancellation of session days in the House last week […]
One way you can get involved as an MEA member right now is by speaking up about the legislative priorities you believe our organization should be pursuing. The MEA Legislation Commission is developing our organization’s 2021-23 Legislative Priorities for the 101st Michigan Legislative Session which begins in January. The Commission recommends priorities to the MEA […]
The Michigan Legislature’s “lame duck” session begins this week, with the next three weeks of session leading up to the end of the year when all unpassed bills expire and a new legislature is seated in January with newly elected lawmakers. Many expect this year’s lame duck to be relatively quiet (including public comments from […]
Applications to get the “hazard pay” grant payments enacted by the Legislature will be coming from school districts to members by Nov. 9. School employees need to turn in that form to their district by Dec. 4 in order to receive these grants – up to $500 or $250 depending on your employment category. MEA […]
