Joint statement from school unions and management calls for collaboration on local plans

MEA joined with AFT Michigan, the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators (MASA) and the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) on a joint statement calling on local districts and educators to work collaboratively on Preparedness Plans for fall learning. “To create and maintain safe school communities, district leaders, building leaders, teachers, staff members, and […]

Q&A on potential return to in-person learning

Throughout the pandemic, MEA has been actively collecting and sharing information with members, including a survey of members about COVID-19 and education, as well as a statement about MEA’s priorities for a safe return to learning. The following are some of the questions we’re receiving from MEA members as discussions continue about a potential return […]

Opinion: Michigan v. DeVos is more than just a lawsuit

July 15, 2020 By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association A lawsuit filed last week against U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos created a case name that captures a long-standing feeling among educators and friends of public education. Michigan v. DeVos. After years of Betsy DeVos and her family pushing an extreme, anti-public education agenda across our state […]

Michigan Leads Lawsuit Against DeVos Rule for Federal Relief Funds

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Tuesday announced a lawsuit has been filed challenging a rule issued by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos which rerouted millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief money to private schools. Nessel is partnering with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead a coalition of six attorneys general in a […]

MEA lays out priorities for a safe return to in-person learning

EAST LANSING — Following more than 15,000 survey responses from educators and discussions about the needs of both students and school employees, today MEA announced three key priorities the state’s largest education union feels must be fully addressed as we look toward safely returning to school buildings this fall. As our mission indicates, we believe […]

Read by Grade Three Survey Extended

The deadline for completing a 25-minute Read by Grade Three (RBG3) survey worth 5 SCECHs for current K-8 teachers who participate has been extended to June 30 by our partners at the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) at MSU. The researchers have also added a set of questions regarding how educators responded as schools suspended […]

Educators Engage in Racial Justice Movement: ‘I feel this moment very deeply’

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor For MEA member Lisa Watkins, the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement speaks to important and personal issues for her as a mother, grandmother, and associate preschool teacher in Ypsilanti—concerns that she believes every educator should seek to know and address. “Educators are helping raise black lives,” said the mother […]