Michigan has invested $335 million in school security since the 2021 Oxford High School shootings. Concern over shootings has yielded a gold-rush of security vendors offering schools everything from robotic dogs to bulletproof whiteboards.
Isabel Lohman
Isabel Lohman reports on early childhood, K-12 and higher education for Bridge Michigan, tracking how policies made in Lansing affect students and educators. She has closely reported on literacy, absenteeism and special education. Isabel was a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit's 2026 Young Journalist of the Year award. Before joining Bridge, she covered children's issues for the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, reporting on COVID-19 in schools and communities coping with gun violence.
Isabel grew up outside of Chicago and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri. She moved to Ann Arbor in 2022.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Whitmer expands teacher union rights, critics say it sets back students
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed several education bills, including measures that give teachers more say in classroom assignments. She signed another measure that makes it easier for out-of-state teachers and counselors to work in Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Whitmer signs ‘transformative’ $24.3B Michigan education budget. What to know
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a new state education budget that expands Pre-K access, boosts per-pupil funding and invests in training new teachers. More education policy changes are coming too.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
University of Michigan-Flint is losing leader at a critical time
University of Michigan-Flint Chancellor Deba Dutta will leave the school in September. The change comes as the campus is attempting to improve the long term viability of the school, work that will temporarily be paused.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Gretchen Whitmer creates new Michigan education agency for pre-K to college
The aim is to improve educational outcomes from early childhood through after-school and postsecondary programs, with the goal of every Michigan student earning a skill certificate or degree after high school.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan to launch major teacher recruitment and training effort in fall
Roughly 750 prospective and current teachers are expected to participate in the Talent Together program as the state attempts to reinvigorate the talent pool for public school teaching positions.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Supreme Court ends Biden student loan forgiveness: how it impacts Michigan
In rejecting the plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt, the court crushed a signature promise made by Joe Biden in the 2020 race for president. The ruling impacts more than 40 million borrowers, including over 800,000 in Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
U.S. Supreme Court affirmative action ban already playing out in Michigan
The Supreme Court reversed years of precedent in ruling that race-conscious college admissions policies violate the Equal Protection Clause. U-M officials say a 2006 affirmative action ban in Michigan made fielding a diverse student body harder.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan passes $21.5B school budget with boost for at-risk students
In Democrats’ first education budget, lawmakers directed more funds to schools with disadvantaged students as the state tries to recover from pandemic learning loss. There is also more investment for English language learners and special education.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Lawyers for 3 more students indicate they may sue MSU in shooting
Lawyers for slain students Brian Fraser and Arielle Anderson, and for an injured student, Hanyang Tao, filed court papers that may be a prelude to suit. Seven of the eight students shot in February have now filed court notices.
