Michigan K-12 schools

Bridge education reporter Isabel Lohman moderated a discussion with a panel of educators and researchers about causes of and potential solutions to teacher staffing issues.

Districts are heeding expert warnings of a “perfect storm” of economic uncertainty fueled by inflation, enrollment declines, the threat of recession, and expiring federal aid.

The board has little influence over day-to-day operations of Michigan schools, but it has become a focal point of cultural and gender controversies over curriculum. Two seats are up for grabs.

The window dressing of parent rights and helping all children “succeed” is a thin veneer for what these groups really are after: taking control of the curriculum from experienced education professionals, and, specifically, rolling back the history curriculum to “Leave It To Beaver” days.

Superintendents will be counting Michigan students Oct. 5, but many children will be out of school observing a major Jewish holiday. It’s a crucial day for Michigan school districts trying to maximize state funding, but this year it coincides with Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year when the observant fast, pray, and abstain from work and school.

Mothers groups are becoming more involved, and the GOP says polling suggests dissatisfaction with schools is becoming a winning issue among voters.

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tudor Dixon said Tuesday she would support a statewide ban on school books she deems ‘pornographic,’ the last salvo in a fight over LGBTQ inclusion and parental rights.

Michigan Superintendent Michael Rice won’t remove training videos on making schools safe for LGBTQ students. Rice said there are times when it is not appropriate to tell parents when a student comes out about their gender identity.

Michiganders will consider three initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot, including efforts to keep abortion legal and allow for early voting.

Michigan will only reach our goal to become a Top Ten state for education if we invest in all of our students and create a system that supports their needs.

Budgets are a reflection of priorities. In Michigan, it is clear our priorities are to support our kids, support our workforce, and use our resources to address current needs with an eye toward the future.

Some districts restrict cellphone use. Others warn parents about the dangers of social media. And one legislator proposed banning all Michigan students from using phones during the school day.

Michigan doesn’t require sex ed, so what is taught — and what isn’t — can vary sharply by local school district. Advocates say uncertainty around abortion access in Michigan makes comprehensive sex education more important than ever.

Creating a student-centered school where mental health comes first can go a long way to making the most of our children’s education.

On September 28, Bridge Michigan education reporter Isabel Lohman will moderate a Zoom discussion with four education experts on the causes of and solutions to K-12 teacher staffing issues in Michigan.

Schools should be safe places in which children learn, socialize, and grow. It is time for the Michigan legislature to heed the call of Michiganders on the issue of common sense gun reform.

The state’s lowest-performing schools were the hardest hit during the disruption of the pandemic. But the state’s partnership program, which offers more resources and support to these schools, likely helped curb learning loss, an MSU study found.

Scores in math and English/Language Arts were mostly down this year compared to before the pandemic on the Michigan standardized test known as M-STEP. The results are likely to heavily impact education spending priorities.

There is a steep increase this year in the percentage of third-graders behind in reading skills — a troubling trend that was far worse for students who spent significant time learning remotely when they were in second grade during the pandemic.

In perhaps the most comprehensive portrait of academic loss brought on by COVID, math and reading scores for the nation’s 9-year-olds suffered generational declines between 2020 and 2022. The losses spanned races and income levels, though the lowest-performing students suffered the largest declines.