March 10, 2021 By Paula Herbart/President – Michigan Education Association In sports, teamwork is valued by coaches, players and fans because we are stronger working together than alone. The same is true in education. During the pandemic, a strong team bond has formed between educators, students and families. Working together like never before, that team […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Ryan Ridenour has never known a teacher evaluation system other than the one used in Michigan since 2015. Still the world history and psychology teacher, in his sixth year at West Bloomfield, has found key problems with the state’s method for scoring, rating, and ranking educators. “I […]
By Justine Galbraith In the timeless movie “Almost Famous,” main character William Miller loses his temper. “Who am I to you?” he shouts. “WHO AM I TO YOU?” He is yelling at a groupie – er, Band-Aid – with whom he had just spent the night, who was now tossing him her laundry on his […]
Update 3/9 – On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4048 releasing federal COVID relief funding for schools as laid out below, but announced she was vetoing HB 4049 – the bill limiting gubernatorial epidemic powers around school closure and athletics which the Republican Legislature tied to the release of $840 million in those federal funds. The administration has asked […]
MEA members are currently receiving checks from the state for the MI Classroom Heroes grants of up to $500 for teachers or $250 for ancillary and support staff. Otherwise known as ‘hazard pay’ checks, this is the first round of payments based on legislation passed last year. MEA advocated with the Legislature for equity in […]
EAST LANSING — Members of MEA’s aspiring educators program, Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM), have begun an effort to enact changes in the Teacher Preparation Program in the College of Education at Michigan State University. AEM members who are education students at MSU have created the group “Empowering Spartan Educators,” and are working to create […]
Virtual or in-person, it’s time to celebrate NEA’s Read Across America on March 2. Books and stories provide points of access for understanding other people’s lives, to walk in someone else’s shoes—or to try on a different hat! In NEA’s digital Read Across America calendar, the theme for March is “Cultivate Compassion” and features Tiara’s […]
This year, Education Support Professionals have faced unforeseen challenges in every job category as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended normal life – and their contributions are something to be proud of, says ESP Caucus President Roy Freeman. Now in the wake of that upheaval and change, the MEA ESP Statewide Conference on March 25-27 offers a […]
MEA member Julie Ingison says the pandemic means children who ride her bus can’t see her smile through the face mask, but she tries to make sure they can hear the smile in her voice when she greets them by name each day. They also can feel her love through the huggable gift she handcrafted […]
Some long-awaited proposed changes to the state’s educator evaluation system have been introduced in the Michigan Legislature. Now action is needed to push lawmakers to move the bills. One pressing issue for educators – the percentage of student growth included in teacher evaluations – has two GOP-sponsored measures awaiting action. That student growth requirement is […]
