Detroit public schools are fully staffed and the volume of statewide teacher retirements — an imperfect barometer — is steady compared to years past. Challenges remain in Grand Rapids and some rural districts, but there is reason for optimism.
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 inMichigan Health Watch
Back to school and monkeypox: How much should Michigan worry?
Monkeypox risk is higher on college campuses, where it can be spread through sexual activity and the close quarters of dorm life and parties, health officials said. But the risk isn’t zero for school-age children.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
CDC loosens COVID rules with new onus on people, not schools, businesses
The Biden administration bowed to the reality that COVID-19 is here to stay and most Americans are better equipped to fend off serious illness. The new rules place more emphasis on individual responsibility.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan charters sue U.S. Department of Education over new grant rules
A group representing Michigan charter schools accuses the DOE of adding new hurdles for charters to access federal money to open new schools. Supporters of the rules say they rein in problematic practices within the charter school industry.
Posted inTalent & Education
Saginaw Valley State’s new president vows to listen to students, community
George Grant Jr. said he does not believe universities should be ivory towers with transactional relationships with their communities. He vowed to be engaged and transparent and make the school welcoming for students.
Posted inTalent & Education
Flint may ditch year-round school, but other districts say it helps students
The Flint schools superintendent said the year-round calendar, intended to reduce summer learning loss, doesn’t work for his district. But other school districts remain fans. The key, they say: community buy-in.
Posted inTalent & Education
Wayne State University president M. Roy Wilson will step down next summer
Wilson will have led the Detroit university for 10 years when he leaves next July. He said addressing an increasingly competitive market for students will be a major focus for the next president.
Posted inTalent & Education
How a Michigan college is leaning into culture wars to reshape education
Tiny Hillsdale College is at the center of education battles in Florida and Tennessee, while expanding its influence in charter and private schools closer to home. Its conservative values could reshape schools in Michigan under a Republican governor.
Posted inTalent & Education
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer creates K-12 parents council. Republicans leery.
The governor said the council is meant to amplify parents’ voices on educational issues. But Republicans call the council an election-year gimmick, as conservatives push for more parental control over classroom instruction.
Posted inTalent & Education
5 things to know about new University of Michigan President Santa Ono
Will Santa Ono ever crowd surf in the Big House? We don’t know yet. Here’s what to know about his experience and what many hope he can bring to U-M.