Talent & Education

The governor’s proposed budget will call for continuing $9,600 stipends for student teachers and $10,000 scholarships for education majors. But her budget plans for 2024 is a small fraction of last year’s ask.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to expand the state’s free preschool program to all 4-year-olds, regardless of income. An MSU researcher who studies the Great Start Readiness Program explains what makes it work.

Universal pre-K is good for kids and the economy. But it’s expensive and the state faces several hurdles, including teacher shortages and a lack of transportation options for the 4-year-olds.

If the state law is repealed, public school teachers and other government employees will still be governed by a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prevents unions from requiring public employees to pay union dues. But labor leaders want to be prepared if that changes.

Democratic lawmakers are moving quickly to remove the part of the state’s third grade reading law that requires students a year or more behind to repeat the grade. The bill passed out of a Senate committee Tuesday.

A once-in-a-generation influx of money is allowing education advocates to debate reforms to a school system that has underperformed for decades

East Lansing Public Schools was among several Michigan districts that reduced security years ago to address other budget concerns. But this year has been marked by reports of guns, fights and intimidation, leading school officials to change direction.

Resolving a long turf war, Michigan now allows local community colleges to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees in nursing through partnerships with universities. The program allows more students to stay close to home, helping them and their community.

Behavioral problems are increasing in post-pandemic Michigan schools. In East Lansing, students and parents say enough is enough.

Community colleges sustain the biggest drop, but the percentage of recent high school graduates at four-year schools remains well below pre-COVID levels.

Wednesday’s snowfall closed schools across much of lower Michigan. But many districts say they are more likely this year to fall short of the six snow day closures allowed by the state.

The Michigan Reconnect program currently pays for students age 25 and over to attend their in-district community college tuition free. Gov. Whitmer wants to expand the program to younger Michiganders.

In her fifth State of the State address, set for Wednesday, Whitmer will make the case for more tutors in schools before spring break to help students recover from pandemic learning loss.

Artificial intelligence writing generators like ChatGPT can compose school assignments at the click of a button. Is it the end of writing as we know it? An invitation to cheating? Or a handy tool like a calculator?

Teachers wanted a voice in setting the state’s education agenda. With the Legislature now under Democratic control, four key panels that control education policy and funding will be led by former teachers.

The proposal doesn’t have a clear political path after Democrats won full control of the state legislature in November.

The Education Trust-Midwest report calls for a weighted funding system for schools that provides far more money to educate low-income and other vulnerable students.

District students masked for all of last school year. Now, they are to wear masks for the next two weeks. Some parents are skeptical the mandate will end then.

A bipartisan House panel created after the deadly shootings at Oxford High School did not address gun safety in its recommendations because it could not reach consensus. Now, with a Democratic led House and Senate, advocates see an opening.

Many high school students are choosing to forgo college, even as the state is rolling out scholarship and free-tuition programs to make higher education more affordable. Filling out a free financial aid form is the best way to determine the true cost of college.