Gabby Taylor, a fourth-year teacher in Ann Arbor, channels veteran educators’ frustrations in “Teachers Anthem,” a moving song she wrote and performed at a school board meeting as contract talks started. You must have a music background—the anthem is powerful. I started writing in eighth or ninth grade. I took guitar lessons. I did show choir […]

Amid a contentious political scene nationally, a diverse group of Michigan leaders from the education, business, civic, and philanthropic realms—often at odds in the political arena—have spent the past 18 months seeking common ground on education policy. In December, the unusual coalition known as Launch Michigan released its first set of recommendations for rebuilding a public […]

During a pay freeze in his district, MEA member Steve Conn watched as teacher colleagues left Wayne-Westland Community Schools by the dozens. “People were having resume-building parties, looking for jobs in other districts. Some left education altogether.” As years passed, with educators stuck on low rungs of the salary schedule, the poaching by wealthier nearby districts […]

For the last few years, students in Alanson Public Schools about 10 miles north of Petoskey did not have physical education classes. Declining enrollment and inadequate state funding meant the course had to be cut from every grade level except for one semester of high school to meet graduation requirements. This year, thanks to a […]

by Nicole Droscha Third-grade teacher, Mason Public Schools “We still have so many third graders not meeting target scores for reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. How will we close these gaps by year’s end? What other strategies or interventions can we try? What other resources can we use to reach more kids?” These difficult questions […]