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 […]
PART I: School Performance By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA Labor Economist Tanner Delpier tells stories with data. The tale he tells of public education in Michigan runs counter to the message heard far too often in sound bites on the news. We continually hear that public schools are “failing,” despite “record” state funding, […]
Student learning and school safety should go hand-in-hand. That’s why educators across Michigan are deeply concerned about the rise in disruptive student behavior, which includes verbal outbursts, threats, and physical aggression. Addressing this troubling nationwide trend is critical for the future of education. MEA is prioritizing this work and providing ways for members to engage […]
MEA Presidents’ Academy forum brainstorms policy changes to meet student needs on high school requirements, literacy By Chandra Madafferi MEA President & CEO In October, more than sixty teachers and academic leaders from across Michigan — representing every grade level and region — gathered for a dynamic discussion led by local presidents committed to reimagining […]
