Twenty-three Michigan charter school campuses claimed at least a tie for a championship in one of eight academic categories in Bridge Magazine’s Academic Charter State Championships for the 2010-11 school year. Champion districts are listed in alphabetical order. Below the winners, you will find a searchable database of all charter school results in the eight […]
Bridge Staff
Bridge’s mission is to inform Michigan citizens about their state, amplify their views and explore the challenges of our civic life.
Posted inQuality of Life
Guest column: Silent invaders threaten our waters
By Patty Birkholz/Michigan Office of Great Lakes During these cold wintry days, you may not be thinking about invasive species. Maybe you should be. While we await warmer weather — the type conducive to walking beaches, boating or swimming on our inland seas — invasive species are being shipped around the world; they are stowing […]
Posted inTalent & Education
See Detroit's champs and full district results
To determine Academic City Champions for the 2010-11 school year, Bridge Magazine collected and analyzed data for each campus in the Detroit Public Schools. All were judged by academic results relevant to their grade levels (testing at the fourth and eighth grades, ACT results and high school graduation rates for high-school grades). The results of […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Guest post: Mich.'s campaign disclosure rules stink
By Rich Robinson/Michigan Campaign Finance Network It was welcome news when Gov. Rick Snyder announced, during his 2012 State of the State address, that he believes Michigan needs campaign finance, lobbying and ethics reforms. It has been a long time since a Michigan governor has expressed serious interest in this important area of government accountability. […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Truth Squad tackles 'State of State' speech
In Michigan in 2012, there’s really only one issue on the radar: jobs. How does the state get more of them? How do residents fill them? How much do they pay? In the hours leading up to Gov. Rick Snyder’s second State of the State Address, some notable numbers came in: Michigan’s unemployment rate in […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Guest column: Lawmakers lose way on higher education
By Thomas Haas/Grand Valley State University Bridge Magazine has performed an important public service by pointing out the state of Michigan’s near-wholesale abandonment of support for public higher education. For most of the 20th century, Michigan was a Top 10 state in support of the spectacular universities its citizens built and nurtured. Today, we are […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Guest column: Michigan Works agencies fill job slots
By Christine Quinn and Charlotte “Charlie” Mahoney/Michigan Works Association When reading the recent article in Bridge about both perceptions and realities regarding our state’s workforce development efforts, we remembered advice the 19th century abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher once offered his colleagues, “hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Guest column: Communities should find tax-spend 'niche'
By Mark Skidmore/Michigan State University Consumers instinctively look for bargains — quality products at a good price. We purchase the items that offer the right combination of price and quality we desire. This principle also hold true when we look for a place to live. Potential residents “shop” for the right mix of quality and […]
Posted inSuccess
Luke columns to appear in Bridge
Bridge Magazine is adding one of the most perceptive political observers in Michigan to its contributors in 2012. Beginning in January, Peter Luke will join the Bridge site as a correspondent, penning regular commentaries and the occasional news report. “Talk about a great start to 2012. Bridge readers will receive the insight of the most […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Guest column: Voting reform boosts access, security
By Ruth Johnson/Michigan secretary of state Critics and pundits (“Right to vote is under attack,” Dec. 15) would have you think that any move to review and make common sense adjustments to our current elections system is a veiled attempt at destroying our democratic process. The fact is that ensuring integrity in our elections system […]