Issues important to Michigan educators took centerstage Wednesday evening as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her annual State of the State address at the State Capitol. Among several major announcements, Whitmer called on the Legislature to provide funding — before spring break — for her “MI Kids Back on Track” tutoring proposal, which would provide extra […]
Faculty at Monroe County Community College have overwhelmingly approved a no-confidence vote in President Kojo Quartey and filed charges of Unfair Labor Practices against the college, which the faculty association addressed with a show of solidarity at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday night. A four-page resolution detailed reasons behind the no-confidence vote, including […]
EAST LANSING — The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address on Wednesday evening: “Gov. Whitmer showed again tonight what being a pro-education governor looks like – and now, with allies in the Legislature, Michigan students and educators can count on desperately […]
State Senator and Senate Education Committee Chair Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) and State Rep. Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights) – both longtime educators currently serving in the state Legislature – have introduced legislation to eliminate the retention requirement from Michigan’s third-grade reading law. Passed in 2016, this law requires third-graders to be held back if they score below grade […]
Since Michigan became a so-called “right-to-work” state in December 2012, there has been an important U.S. Supreme Court decision that made agency shop provisions illegal for all public-sector contracts across the country. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the Janus v. AFSCME case that government employees who are represented by a union but […]
Editor’s note: Lawmakers need to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to contact your state senator and representative and urge them to support Gov. Whitmer’s proposal to repeal the unfair tax on retired educators’ pensions. After a long 11 years, retired educators may soon experience relief from the unfair retirement tax imposedon them […]
Voters across the political spectrum want greater investment in school safety, higher pay for educators and expanded access to mental health services EAST LANSING – Michigan voters say public education should be a key priority for state lawmakers, according to a new survey of registered voters released Tuesday by the Michigan Education Association. Michigan voters […]
On Monday, the Secretary of State’s office announced that the DeVos-backed voucher initiative, “Let My Kids Learn,” withdrew their petitions from consideration. The multi-million dollar attempt by DeVos and Co. to implement a school voucher scheme in Michigan has officially failed! DeVos’ attempt to circumvent the will of the public by initiating a law with only legislative […]
With a new year upon us, brighter days are ahead for our kids and schools, thanks to elected leaders who are committed to addressing the challenges facing public education and putting Michigan on a path to prosperity. There’s cause for optimism. On top of the record, bipartisan education budget passed last summer by Gov. Gretchen […]
From the Blissfield Royals to the Kingsford Flivvers, local public schools are core to the identity of small towns across Michigan. No matter their differences as individuals, people in rural communities are unified by their local schools and mascots. But because of inequitable funding, declining enrollment and a lack of concern from some lawmakers, many […]
