By Chandra Madafferi MEA President & CEO Collaborate, explore and participate are three words that were everywhere in a middle school that I visited in Norway last October, where I joined a group of professors from Michigan State University’s College of Education to observe Norwegian schools in action and bring home lessons for our state. […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Big themes recur throughout the story of Grand Rapids art teacher Stephen Smith. Trauma. Grief. Hopelessness. Then creation, connection, community. Images and ideas return like motifs in Smith’s remarkable personal narrative. A 37-year-old San Francisco native, Smith is a multi-faceted and award-winning artist, innovative entrepreneur, emerging community leader—and a […]
Uncertain times can be trying for all of us. But by working together, we can and will overcome what uncertain times bring us — both through strength in numbers as a union and as a network of dedicated educators that can rely on each other in tough times. It’s times like these that are why [...]
MEA member Matt Hamilton added a brilliant new chapter to his inspiring story on Friday when he was chosen from among five finalists for one of education’s highest honors: the 2025 NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence. A 23-year middle school teacher in East Jordan, Hamilton was nationally honored for his work teaching history […]
At MEA’s Winter Conference in February, four 2025 MEA Awards for Human Rights and Excellence were presented to exemplary MEA members. Instructional Excellence Award: Nicki Strach A 10-year paraeducator in Reed City and vice president of her local union, Nicki Strach has worked to implement innovative literacy programs while making sure every one—regardless of behavioral […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In a passionate address before a capacity crowd at the MEA Winter Conference last week, Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) recalled her mother walking her up to the yellow school bus as her earliest memory from youth. Born in Thailand, Xiong immigrated to the U.S. with family at age three in […]
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, Governor Whitmer’s 2025-26 budget recommendations were presented to the Legislature. This is the first step in the state budget process for the year, with the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate beginning work on their plans beginning later this spring. Here are the highlights for the school aid and higher education budgets: […]
Bipartisan coalition shows we can all work together to improve public schools By Chandra Madafferi, Michigan Education Association President and CEO Michigan students need us to cooperate with one another and help improve our local schools because, despite many innovative public education initiatives across the state, we do not have a system of excellence — […]
The Democratic-led state Senate filed a lawsuit on Monday to compel Republican House Speaker Matt Hall to transmit House Bill 6058 and eight other bills to Gov. Whitmer for a signature as the state constitution requires for all measures passed by both chambers of the Legislature. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) held a […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor UPDATE FEB. 3: Today the Democratic-led state Senate filed a lawsuit to compel Republican House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) to follow the state constitution and transmit House Bill 6058 and eight other bills held in limbo to Gov. Whitmer for a signature. Read more. MEA member Kim Sandefur normally teaches […]
