MEA President Paula Herbart and Rob Fowler, CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan MEA President Paula Herbart and Small Business Association of Michigan CEO Rob Fowler – who both serve as co-chairs for Launch Michigan – teamed up for an op-ed in Bridge Magazine calling on the state to boost funding for students with special needs: The COVID-19 pandemic has taught our…

EAST LANSING — The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding the state budget recommendations announced today by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: “Gov. Whitmer has once again shown her commitment to public education by proposing the largest investment in public schools in Michigan history. Increased per-pupil support is badly needed after decades of inadequately funding public education…

Based on over 22k responses, about 37% of educators still waiting to be vaccinated; nearly 90% want to receive vaccine EAST LANSING — An online survey of MEA members reveals that nearly two-thirds of Michigan school employees are either vaccinated or in the process of being vaccinated against COVID-19. Another third of the more than 22,500 respondents are waiting to…

East Lansing, MI — The North Central Michigan College Educational Support Professional Association (NCMC-ESP) today filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against NCMC for failing to bargain in good faith.  The bargaining unit, composed of Custodial, Maintenance and Office personnel began affiliation with MEA following a successful union representation election in May 2018.  Collective bargaining on the initial contract began…

EAST LANSING — The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart calling on the Legislature to distribute federal COVID relief funding immediately to Michigan schools: “Michigan’s public schools need funding immediately to support the dedicated, hardworking educators who are serving the unique needs of students and families during this pandemic and beyond. We must unleash all the…

EAST LANSING — The following statements can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address and related developments in Lansing today. Regarding investment in education to meet the diverse needs of students: “The pandemic has laid bare many of the inequities in our education system. An important first step in…

EAST LANSING — The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart about the Michigan Department of Education’s request for a federal standardized testing waiver for 2021 that was filed today with the U.S. Department of Education: “MEA applauds Superintendent Rice and the Michigan Department of Education for continuing efforts to obtain a federal waiver for testing requirements this…

The following statement is from leadership of organizations representing Michigan’s PK-12 Schools: David Hecker, AFT-Michigan President; Don Wotruba, MASB Executive Director; Tina Kerr, MASA Executive Director; Ray Telman, Middle Cities Executive Director; Paula Herbart, MEA President. Since this pandemic began, it has been our most fervent wish to safely reopen our schools for in-person learning. Educators agree that face-to-face time…

EAST LANSING — The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding today’s announcement that preK-12 school employees will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination beginning next Monday: “This is great news for Michigan students and educators alike. Ensuring our frontline teachers and education support professionals can be vaccinated to protect themselves, their families, and their students is a…

Educators nationwide hungry for virtual learning strategies, find them in MEA-led webinar series during pandemic EAST LANSING – With rising COVID-19 rates causing more schools to revert to virtual learning across the country, Michigan Education Association members continue to expand a webinar series that has helped more than 20,000 educators nationwide serve students remotely during the pandemic. “This relentless pandemic…