Talent & Education
To prosper, Michigan must be a more educated place. Bridge will explore the challenges in education and identify policies and initiatives that address them.
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Crowds growing to protest changes to Michigan social studies standards
Public meetings that attracted just a few folks have grown bigger and louder since Bridge revealed conservative changes to Michigan K-12 social studies standards.
Michigan school board Dems: We will block conservative social studies changes
References to gay rights, Roe v. Wade and climate change have been stripped from state K-12 social studies standards. Democrats on the state school board have the votes to block the changes, and vow to do so
Michigan’s top teacher on Betsy DeVos, school shootings and testing
Luke Wilcox isn’t shy about sharing his opinions, with Bridge Magazine or the U.S. Secretary of Education
What Michigan schools can learn from craft beer
To turn around Michigan schools, stop trying to produce Budweiser, and brew more Oberon. That’s the TED Talk message (without the actual alcohol) of Michigan’s Teacher of the Year.
History gets a conservative twist in Michigan social studies standards
Abortion, climate change and gay rights are gone from proposed new social studies standards. State Sen. Patrick Colbeck and conservative groups gained influence on what will taught in Michigan classrooms.
Michigan State quietly settles ‘touching’ case, clearing accused male student
Hours after two students had sex, the man touched the woman’s breast without asking. He was later disciplined. But the process left both students feeling betrayed by Michigan State University's response.
A Michigan school devoted to innovation. Here’s why others won’t follow.
Michigan schools may be flailing, but major reform is tough. Just look at Kent Innovation High.
He loved teaching math in Michigan. Then he quit to manage a Chick-fil-A.
What does it say about Michigan schools when working at a fast food restaurant is more appealing – and more profitable – than being a veteran teacher?
Once at rock bottom, this Northern Michigan elementary now produces stars
Michigan’s low-income fourth-graders have some of the lowest reading scores in the nation, and few fared worse than students in Cadillac. Four years later, Cadillac fourth-graders are high-flyers. How did they do it?
See how low-income students fare in your Michigan school district
Poor children in Michigan struggle compared with more affluent classmates. See how your district is faring in this Bridge school database.
Low-income Grand Rapids preschoolers are catching up. Will Lansing notice?
A pre-K program supported by the Kellogg Foundation is getting 3- and 4-year-olds ready to start kindergarten. Expansion across Michigan would have a steep price tag, but high returns.
Pre-K for all in Oklahoma: Sooner is Better
The state is a pioneer in state-funded early education for 4-year-olds. It’s now reaping the benefits.
On nation’s report card, Michigan students remain in back of class
Michigan schools continue to trail most states in academic achievement, floundering in the bottom third of all states, according to the national NAEP test.
How Michigan schools are suffering, shown in 10 slides
A few steps forward, and several back, as Michigan struggles to revive its schools
Hundreds of Michigan schools don’t have a gym teacher. Does yours?
Funding cuts have left 500 schools without physical education. Use this database to see if your school has a gym teacher.
West Michigan leaders join chorus for state education reform
Experts in Grand Rapids offer potential answers for a troubled public school system at the "Michigan Solutions Summit: An Educated Michigan," put on by The Center For Michigan/Bridge Magazine and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.
Getting past politics to give Michigan the schools it deserves
Education experts from Massachusetts, Tennessee and across Michigan gathered Thursday in Detroit to plot solutions to Michigan’s public school malaise.
We read 12 reports on fixing Michigan schools. Here are 4 things we learned
Michigan leaders love to write about our failing education system. Changes, though, are proving tougher.
Got 6 minutes? Highlights of a dozen studies on Michigan schools
If you were to lay the pages of these voluminous studies end to end, we’d question your life choices. Bridge offers instead this quickie version of the reports’ findings on how best to reform schools.
Time to row in same direction for schools, says Michigan business group
Leading states have figured out a way for education, business and political leaders to work together to improve schools. A new report calls for that same cooperation in Michigan