Quotables – Feb-March 2026

“If this bill package passes today, we will have passed two very solid school policy bills in the past month, indicating that yes, we can come together across the aisle and across chambers to do the right things for kids, parents and schools.” — Sen. Dayna Polehanki, chair of the Senate Education Committee, on passage […]

Facts v Fallacy Part II: School Funding

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Michigan voters are likely to see the phrase “record school funding” in campaign mailers from both political parties this election year. The difference will be in perspective. One side will use the term to tout recent gains in school funding as a point of pride in better supporting educators […]

Libraries and literacy go hand-in-hand

Christine Beachler The decline in literacy test scores in Michigan over the past few decades parallels the dramatic loss of certified school librarians across the state, say two MEA members who also lead the Michigan Association of School Librarians (MASL). Librarians are literacy leaders with expertise in book collection development, information literacy instruction, and defending [...]

A literacy case study in Waterford schools

Waterford Education Association President Mary Craite has been teaching for 40 years. After completing the literacy training known as LETRS — which stands for Language Essentials for Teaching Reading and Spelling — she’s ready to teach another 40. “LETRS is among the best professional development that I’ve had in my career,” Craite said. The learning […]