Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s team convened a conversation in July with food service professionals and MEA members from across the state to begin discussing the logistics around the universal free school meal program included in the recent state education budget. Veteran food service professionals, who nurture deep bonds with students, voiced their excitement about ensuring no […]
On Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation restoring collective bargaining rights lost by educators over a decade ago – making good on pro-educator lawmakers’ promise to respect the profession as a way to recruit and retain the best and brightest for our students. Building on the record-breaking education budget signed last week, these new […]
Celebration and interconnection. Those were the predominant themes that ran through the speakers and sessions at the MEA Summer Conference last week at Saginaw Valley State University. “All of us have experienced so much in the past few years, but when I think about the darkest, toughest times, I think of one thing: Hope,” said […]
More than 30 high school students from across Michigan and Illinois who are interested in pursuing a career in education participated these past two weeks in the Next Gen Teacher program. This great collaboration between MEA and Wayne State University – made possible through an NEA grant – introduces young people to a potential career […]
UTICA — MEA member and Utica Community Schools teacher Jonathan Marceau has won first place in the Michigan Virtual EdTech Contest for his first-of-its-kind digital learning platform intended to boost student literacy and reduce prep work for educators. The Utica teacher’s winning pitch, Spelling Safari, reinvents the spelling curriculum with a software solution customized to […]
Her unit was on the verge of decertification from MEA a little over one year ago when Nikki Clear took over as president of her local union representing transportation employees, food service workers, paraeducators, and secretaries. Now she’s won MEA’s Leon A. Brunner Award. A bus driver for four years in Stockbridge Community Schools, Clear […]
EAST LANSING — The Michigan Education Association is hailing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s creation of a new state department to better coordinate resources for preschoolers through higher-education students and help ensure every Michigan student has a clear path to reach their full potential. The Whitmer Administration on Wednesday issued an executive order creating the Michigan Department […]
For the first time in the award’s history, the editor of the MEA Voice magazine has been honored as the Editor of the Year among all the NEA state affiliates. Brenda Ortega was recognized with the honor at the recent State Education Affiliate Communicators (SEAComm) conference, where members of the MEA Public Affairs team also […]
Last Wednesday was the second-greatest day of my career in public education — which after 31 years, is coming to a close on July 15. That evening on June 28, the Michigan Legislature passed a landmark package of bills to restore workplace rights stripped from school employees a dozen years ago. When the bills take […]
By Brenda Ortega and Zach Crim MEA Public Affairs UPDATE 7/27 – Gov. Whitmer has signed HBs 4044, 4233 and 4354 into law, along with several other bills designed to recruit and retain educators. These new laws will take effect in early 2024. HB 4356 will be sent to Gov. Whitmer for her consideration soon […]
