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Ask legislators to support bill fixing teacher evaluations Teacher evaluations are broken — and it’s time to fix them. The state Legislature is expected to take up legislation this fall to do just that by making teacher evaluations more fair and constructive. Senate Bill 395, introduced by state Sen. Dayna Polehanki (an MEA member and former teacher), is expected to…

EAST LANSING — Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi, a teacher from Oakland County, released the following statement Friday: “We hope a resolution can be found soon in the contract negotiations between the UAW and the Detroit Three automakers. The economic impacts of a drawn-out work stoppage would be devastating for our local communities, including autoworkers and their families, small…

By Chandra Madafferi From planning a holiday feast or sharing Instagram-worthy photos of an amazing meal, food invokes powerful feelings. But for some families that struggle with food insecurity, those strong feelings aren’t necessarily positive. A student once asked me, “Mrs. M., can you just go to a grocery store and get whatever you want, or do you have to…

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor NEA President Becky Pringle and MEA President Chandra Madafferi serve free breakfast to students at Dublin Elementary in Walled Lake, the first stop of a two-day, four-district tour. NEA President Becky Pringle visited four school districts in Michigan last week to see what change looks like when a governor and state Legislature prioritize public…

EAST LANSING – Veteran educator Arminda Westra has been hired by the Michigan Education Association to be the new Executive Director of the Center for Leadership & Learning, the union’s division devoted to driving education innovation and ensuring every Michigan student gets the quality public education they deserve. “As a product of Michigan’s public schools, a member of a proud…

In response to violence in schools, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was passed in 2022 with the purpose of providing schools across the country with billions of dollars in grants to help make schools safer. The Greenlights Grant Initiative (GGI) is helping to get those funds spent in America’s schools. A project launched this summer by Matthew and Camila McConnaughey’s…

The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) is coordinating help for educators affected by the Lahaina fires – one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. The HSTA is reporting that at least 57 teachers lost their homes or have had to relocate as a result of the Maui wildfires. Another 44 educators suffered property damage. Many also lost their classrooms…

Editor’s Note: This story is one in a series on various ways Michigan districts are spending federal Elementary and Secondary School Relief (ESSER) money – allocated by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in the American Rescue Plan to address challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have seen deficits…

Union members across the state are coming together to celebrate Labor Day on Monday, September 4th. From Detroit to Negaunee, the labor movement is stronger than ever. Bring your family and join your union family at these events MEA is formally participating in: Detroit Labor Day March with President Madafferi and Vice President Smith:  MEA will march with our sisters…

In the union, we often say that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Student teachers are no different. Retired MEA members (MEA-R) have partnered with Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) and serve as mentors to AEM members who are undergoing the rigors of student teaching. Any AEM member who is student teaching in a public…