Michigan school opinions

We must ask the right questions to those running for offices this November, and those questions start with whether their priorities stand with our students or their own politics.

There is no one single magic policy—not school choice, not book bans, and certainly not culture wars—that will improve outcomes for kids.

Our economy demands better than what our current education system is built to provide. We ought to demand better for the sake of our children, too.

At a time of statewide and national educator shortages, it is critical we find new ways to encourage our best educators to remain in the field and attract the brightest and best educators of tomorrow.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republicans deserve plaudits for approving new financial aid funding. But there are broader, less complex tuition-free college programs to bolster the state’s workforce needs.

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.

It is time to level the playing field and ensure community college students are receiving the mental health resources and support they need.

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

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.

With where immunization rates currently stand, it’s not a question of if an outbreak will occur, but when.

When students with disabilities are unable to engage with content being used in the classroom, they miss out on enriching educational experiences and their fellow students miss out on their peers’ valuable contributions to classroom discussions and activities.

School consolidation is not simply a matter of saving money. It requires local dialogue and negotiation to gain public support.

Every kid deserves to feel safe and supported in school, and I am proud that we have come together to deliver a budget that gives every kid an opportunity to succeed.

If we allow a small but vocal group of people to dictate to the rest of us what we should read, view, or say, particularly when they use scare tactics and intimidation to get what they want, it will be a death knell for our free society.

If policymakers really wanted new special ed funds to help students with special needs, they could have required schools to use the dollars to supplement their special education budgets.

While businesses are scrambling for more college-educated graduates, many in Michigan find that the state’s disinvestment makes college unattainable.

The significant amount of additional federal funding the state received, combined with the budget surplus the state has this year, make funding of our talent needs possible in short order.

I had a front row seat to this process: students and parents requesting changes, counselors and administrators trying their best to accommodate these requests, and everyone stuck in a rigid system.

Our state has a phenomenal opportunity to help Michigan students succeed by helping them be prepared not only to earn a living, but also to manage the living they earn.