In a win for Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes, schools will now track the individual tribal affiliation of students, a move experts say is likely to triple the count of Native students and provide better feedback on their progress.
The state’s recently agreed-upon education budget for the new school year contains money for teacher recruitment, rural districts, Detroit schools, transportation, building upgrades and other items long sought by administrators.
The state’s decision to stop funding driver’s education and high private driver’s education costs may be contributing to many Michigan teens delaying getting their driver’s licenses.
In Democrats’ first education budget, lawmakers directed more funds to schools with disadvantaged students as the state tries to recover from pandemic learning loss. There is also more investment for English language learners and special education.
Michigan has failed children in foster care by sending them to classes in state facilities that did not provide credit toward graduation. The state must require better judicial oversight to help them fulfill their educational needs.
Flurry of Democratic legislation also includes mandatory lead testing for young children, alcohol sales inside college stadiums and reforms to prevent child abuse.
In tiny Watersmeet near the Wisconsin border, school and tribal leaders are incorporating Native language and culture into classrooms, hoping to rebuild an identity robbed from past generations.
As a board, we’re accountable to our authorizer and the state. Most of all, we’re accountable to our students and their families. When we set academic goals, we put everything in place to ensure these goals are met.
Michigan and the rest of the country suffered enrollment declines during the pandemic. But new data shows the state is recovering slower than just about any other state, presenting a challenge to Michigan’s economic growth.
Democrats must stop measuring how much they love public education by how much taxpayers’ money they spend. We need vertically aligned public schools that hold leaders accountable for students’ academic success.
Michigan lawmakers are considering a 20-percent budget cut for full-time virtual schools. This threatens countless students who won’t thrive in traditional schools due to bullying, crippling anxiety or behavioral challenges.
What does it take to keep a Michigan teacher in the classroom? In a time of teacher shortages, Teach for America Detroit is partnering with six districts to pay teachers up to $35K in bonuses for training.
Ypsilanti is like a lot of Michigan school districts: lots of struggling young readers and not nearly enough tutors to help them catch up. Federal pandemic funds are available, but staffing levels remain a hindrance.
Downstate Michiganders looking for a piece of paradise are pricing out year-round residents in Up North tourist towns like Charlevoix and Boyne City, making it difficult for businesses and school districts to attract employees.
