Talent & Education

Michigan has no funding stream specifically for school transportation. A new report proposes to create one with a formula based on districts’ student density.

Regional superintendents across the state propose a new, more flexible path for certifying teachers. The plan includes getting future teachers in classrooms earlier in their education and paying them as they teach.

Michigan’s Read by Grade 3 law requires struggling third-grade readers be held back, but exemptions meant only 545 students were held back this year. Struggling readers who were Black or low-income were far more likely to repeat third grade white, more affluent readers who struggled.

Michigan superintendents are trying to balance physical technology to secure schools, with building stronger mental health supports for students. They say school safety continues to be something they want to improve.

Help is on the way for more of Michigan’s lowest performing districts, which qualify for extra support and funding through a state partnership program.

The truncated MSU teacher preparation program will save students $16,700 in tuition and get them into teaching jobs faster.

Over a decade of Republican dominance in Michigan, perhaps no individual shaped Michigan school policy as much as DeVos. Democrats now hope to undo her work.

Michigan education officials received the public records request in May seeking data on how local districts plan to spend $6.2 billion in federal relief funds. The state says it would take 300 — no, 807 — hours to vet the records before releasing them.

Dyslexia, coding and WorkKeys bills are among the few that lawmakers could take up in final weeks.

Federal student loan borrowers have not been required to make payments on their loans since spring 2020 and had anticipated having to restart payments in January. Now, they’ll have more time, though it’s unclear how long.

Santa Ono outlined a host of progressive priorities he hopes to pursue at the University of Michigan, including a $300 million investment in “socially responsible” companies.

The discussion was part of an effort to revisit naming decisions made when the district was overseen by state-appointed emergency managers

The school board had been under months of pressure from a raucous group of parents and activists to remove books with LGBTQ, sexual, or sexual violence themes. Other books are still under review.

From the governor’s race to local school boards, the ‘parental rights’ movement has dominated debates on education policy this election year. But movement-backed candidates had limited success Tuesday in local school board elections.

Republicans framed the education debate in Michigan this year on culture war issues including transgender inclusion, diversity and critical race theory. But in statewide races, it was Democrats who emerged victorious.

The Patmos Library in Ottawa County’s Jamestown Township wants to keep LGBTQ-themed books on its shelves. Not with our tax money, voters said again on Tuesday.

Politicians know young people tend to vote at lower rates than their elders. But Michigan college campus leaders say students are invested in the issues, but may need more help accessing voting information.

Woodruff will assume the role Friday, following the departure of current President Samuel Stanley Jr. He announced his resignation Oct. 13 following months of friction with MSU’s Board of Trustees.

President Santa Ono said the office will follow best practices from other universities in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct scandals. He also vowed a new initiative on climate change and explained why his selfies and ‘grams are more than a schtick.

Republican supporters say the law is a valuable reminder of the need for schools to work closely with parents on what’s taught. A Democratic critic called it an election-year stunt that does nothing to improve student learning.