Voters approved 62% of local tax requests for school bonds. Conservative regions were much more likely to reject them.
Isabel Lohman
Isabel reports on early childhood, K-12 and higher education for Bridge Michigan. She loves visiting schools and analyzing how policies made in Lansing affect students and educators. Previously, she was the children’s issues reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee. There, she reported on the state's third-largest public school district's COVID-19 response and how a community copes after losing teenagers to gun violence. Isabel grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and has also lived in Missouri, Tennessee and Belgium. Isabel moved to Ann Arbor in January 2022 where she experienced her first Michigan winter. She has a warm winter hat with a snap-on puff ball. You can reach Isabel at ilohman@bridgemi.com.
Posted inTalent & Education
Republicans win most open seats on Michigan education, university boards
Michigan voters mostly selected Republicans to fill open seats on the State Board of Education and the boards of three universities.
Posted inTalent & Education
Trans rights fight returns as wedge in Michigan elections
Biden changed Title IX rules to protect LGBTQ kids in schools. Now, conservatives are running to change it back.
Posted inTalent & Education
Who’s running for Michigan university boards? Get to know the candidates
Did you know you have a say in who leads Michigan’s public universities?
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan made school meals free for all. Students ate it up
More than 140,000 more students ate free lunch last year. It cost $190 million, but experts say it’s good for learning.
Posted inTalent & Education
First-year student enrollment down at Michigan universities
As financial aid delays racked up this spring, officials worried enrollment would suffer. Now, state numbers show some schools saw steeper declines than others.
Posted inMichigan Government
From TikTok to tailgates, Trump and Harris woo young Michigan voters
Young voters could make or break the election. But in Michigan, low turnout is the norm.
Posted inTalent & Education
In Michigan, voters sour on school bonds. Once an easy sell, half now fail
Some 10% of Michigan districts are going to voters with tax requests in November. Taxes for roads and public safety still overwhelmingly pass, but the success rate of school bonds has plummeted in recent years.
Posted inTalent & Education
Five things to know about Michigan school bond proposals this election
Bridge Michigan and Gongwer News Service analyzed several years of school bond data and the current ballot proposals. Here are five things to know about school funding efforts this fall.
Posted inTalent & Education
Central Michigan University taps Augusta University administrator as president
Central Michigan University has picked its new leader at a critical time. The 16th president will start November 1.