Legislation

On Thursday night, word came in Lansing that a budget deal was reached for the state’s new fiscal year that starts this Wednesday, Oct. 1. Related to that deal, the House passed several revenue enhancing bills for road funding. Details about what is in the education budget for preK-12 and higher education are unknown as of this writing. MEA is…

UPDATE 9/26: On Thursday night, word came in Lansing that a budget deal was reached for the state’s new fiscal year that starts this Wednesday, Oct. 1. Related to that deal, the House passed several revenue enhancing bills for road funding. Details about what is in the education budget for preK-12 and higher education are unknown as of this writing.…

Plan now to join MEA and AFT Michigan for an education funding lobby day in Lansing next Wednesday, Sept. 24. With the budget deadline looming, we need union members and supporters in Lansing to tell lawmakers to fund our schools, including critical programs like free school meals and mental health supports. Our students deserve to be Michigan’s top priority, with…

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor UPDATE 9/16: Join us on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in Lansing for an Education Budget Lobby Day — RSVP now! A deep dive into the state budget passed by Michigan House Republicans shows their aim is to cut $1.4 billion from schools and $1.6 billion from other state programs to boost spending on roads by $3…

Survey results highlight need for House Bill 6058 to be signed into law without further delay In a statewide MEA survey, 80% of Michigan public school educators who responded said they have been paying more out-of-pocket health care costs since January, with the average increase at $2,400 more per year. The survey results highlight the need for House Bill 6058…

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Despite uncertainty from lack of a state budget, educators in a number of Michigan school districts spent their spring and summer securing solid wins in contracts that underscore the importance of union expertise, cohesion and leadership. Latest from Lansing The state House and Senate still have failed to agree on a spending plan for…

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Voucher schemes and the resulting cuts to public education funding have an outsized impact on rural regions where public schools are typically the center of their communities. (Adobe Stock Images) The nation’s first federal school voucher scheme was tucked inside the tax cuts and spending plan that Republicans in Congress passed and President Donald…

The following statement can be attributed to MEA President & CEO Chandra Madafferi and AFT Michigan President Terrence Martin regarding ongoing education budget discussions in Lansing: Michigan students and the educators who serve them every day deserve a budget that invests in their success. Lawmakers shouldn't settle for an education budget that doesn’t invest every dollar possible toward providing every…

This week, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed (thanks to Vice President Vance’s tie-breaking vote) a dangerous budget reconciliation bill that provides tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of health care, food assistance and education programs for working families. The bill now returns to the U.S. House, where your representative’s vote will help determine the ultimate outcome. Among the major…

On Wednesday, June 11, House Republicans introduced – and then swiftly passed – an education budget for 2025-26 that harms students' opportunities to get the education and skills they need to land good-paying careers after graduation. This budget guts programs and services that students and families rely on, including: Career and technical courses that prepare students for good paying jobs…