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To prosper, Michigan must be a more educated place. Bridge will explore the challenges in education and identify policies and initiatives that address them.
Articles
Dual enrollment growing in popularity and frustration
Opportunities to take college courses while in high school vary widely across Michigan, but the credits earned aren’t always what students expect
Young voters feel they’re ‘screwed either way’
Among Michigan millennials, Clinton may be the favorite, but with heavy sighs over politics as usual.
How more affluent families get welfare for pricey private colleges
Thousands of middle- to upper-income students use federal welfare funds to attend expensive private schools. Meanwhile, only 18 percent of impoverished families in Michigan receive cash assistance.
School choice producing segregation in districts across the state
More than 300,000 public school students take advantage of the state’s popular school choice program. Whether by chance or design, districts are becoming less diverse.
Top 10 Michigan school districts impacted by school choice
The state’s school choice policies are making many districts far more segregated. Here are the districts most impacted by school choice.
Is college still worth the cost? Usually
In spite of rising tuition and loan debt, experts say a college degree still looks like a wise financial investment for most Michigan students, if they choose wisely.
Little action in Lansing to increase college degrees
A sobering report recommends a half billion dollars to improve college access. Lansing responds with a yawn
How other states are getting college dropouts to drop back in
From financial incentives to colleges designed for dropouts, states are finding ways to help residents get their diplomas. Could these programs help Michigan
Michigan’s college dropout dilemma
Thousands of adults are just a few classes away from a degree. So why isn’t Michigan, so hungry for skilled workers, doing more to help them finish
MAP: College dropout rates by county
Michigan has the highest college dropout rates in the Midwest. See rates in your county
Over 28? You’ll get no student aid from Michigan
Obsolete state policies favor financial aid for young students over the older, part-time students who are increasingly filling college campuses.
Study rips state for higher tuition, lack of support for higher ed
In a report released today, a public policy group says the legislature is underfunding its public universities at a critical time in a transforming economy
Detroit charter school profiled by Bridge fined $144,000 by state
A school run by former Detroit city councilwoman Sharon McPhail is fined after a Bridge investigation revealed she is unlicensed
State education proposal would add $1.4 billion to school budget
Tripping over its own good intentions, a long-awaited study calculating the cost of a good education may be undone by its high price, timid promises and puzzling methodology
Bridge database: How your school district gains (or doesn't) under funding proposal
Some school districts would receive tens of millions in additional funding, while many others are already overfunded
The 3 biggest head-scratchers in Michigan education cost study
The report was supposed to be a big win for education reformers. But holes in the study may undermine efforts to increase school spending
How Michigan compares with other states in child care spending
Not very well, it turns out.
Asleep at the desk: How school begins for many Michigan teens
It may be the the simplest way to improve academic achievement. But starting school later in the morning is a surprisingly tough sell