Attendees at the MEA Aspiring Educators Conference next month will receive a special take-away: teaching and learning toolkits to support students with disabilities made by two leaders from MEA’s Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM). The two leaders, Lindsey Springer of Grand Valley State University and Madolyn (Maddie) Glocksine of Saginaw Valley State University, secured an […]
A statewide MEA member survey showed educators are paying on average $200 more per month in out-of-pocket health care costs this year, highlighting why House Bill 6058 must be delivered to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for signature without further delay. HB 6058 fixes a state law passed in 2011 that capped the amount employers could pay […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Maria del Pilar Galnares knew the right thing to do when a group of unrepresented educators approached her about forming a union or joining the unit she leads at Northwest Education Services — the intermediate school district based in Traverse City. Galnares got on board. It was unfair that […]
Lawmakers came together this month to pass an education budget that provides needed investments for students and educators. After months of delays and missed deadlines, the budget provides positive improvements for our schools in some areas while falling short in others. A $10,050 foundation grant. Continued student mental health support and free school meals. A [...]
For MEA member Sarah Ellis, making art is essential to being alive and human — like breathing. “For as long as we’ve been able to recognize that humans have existed, we’ve found art alongside them,” she says. In a time of deep societal divisions, Ellis wants art to be a source of hope and empowerment. […]
Stories by MEA Voice Editor Brenda Ortega MEA member Robin Moore (left), who works at Lansing Community College, is a captain in the campaign. Jeff Wilson, who works at Michigan State University, is a member of the MEA Board of Directors and Ad-Hoc Committee for the campaign. MEA member Jeff Wilson sees the Michigan ESP [...]
MiCAREER connects new, experienced teachers with vacancies in underserved communities A new effort to connect educators with rural school districts across Michigan is working to fill classroom vacancies in high-need communities by offering no-cost credentialing to aspiring and experienced educators alike. Led by Central Michigan University, the new MiCAREER Resource Hub streamlines and coordinates credentialing […]
Lawmakers came together last week to pass an education budget that provides needed investments for students and educators. After months of delays and missed deadlines, the budget provides positive improvements for our schools in some areas while falling short in others. Hopefully, lawmakers can build on this bipartisan solution and move forward to tackle […]
The 2026 Michigan state budget that resulted from last-minute negotiations spilling into the new fiscal year works out to be a net positive for public education, according to an initial MEA analysis. Educators from across the state held steady pressure on lawmakers to help break the months-long budget stalemate, including several dozen who descended on […]
The following statement can be attributed to MEA President & CEO Chandra Madafferi regarding the Legislature’s passage of the 2025-26 education budget: “While overdue and still with areas of concern, the education budget for this school year is finally complete and makes important investments in the success of Michigan’s students and the educators who serve […]
