A state budget praised by both sides is causing widespread confusion and angst because of provisions that threatened funding for agencies that impose school mask mandates.
Ron French
Ron reports on a variety of subjects across the state. Ron came to Bridge in 2011 from The Detroit News, where he was a project reporter. Born and raised in Indiana, Ron graduated from Purdue University. He reported for newspapers across Indiana before moving to Michigan in 1995. Ron lives in Okemos, and like the true Michigander he’s become, he now has a family cabin Up North. You can reach him at rfrench@bridgemi.com or 517-214-3636.
Posted inTalent & Education
A northern Michigan school was ordered to mandate masks. 100 students left.
Families are pulling their kids out of class and moving to neighboring districts as they shop for schools that match the face mask policies they prefer.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan $70B budget deal hailed for ‘historic investment’ in child care
Reducing the costs of child care is a rare point of bipartisan agreement, and many daycares are on the brink of bankruptcy. The deal also gives big boosts to colleges, cities and environmental cleanups.
Posted inTalent & Education
In Upper Peninsula, a COVID spike, a death threat and new school mask mandates
With COVID cases among children rising, health officials ordered schools in the western U.P. counties of Iron and Dickinson to mask up in elementary schools. Barry and Eaton counties in mid-Michigan did the same. Many parents aren’t happy.
Posted inMichigan Government
In Michigan schools, ‘mask-optional’ usually means no masks
About 60 percent of Michigan’s public school students are required to wear face coverings to curb COVID. Though the rest are encouraged to wear masks, most students in these schools don’t, district leaders and parents say.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Biden vaccine mandate: What’s it mean for Michigan schools, those who refuse?
Is this legal? How will it be enforced? The federal rule isn’t yet written, but here’s what we know about the test and vaccination requirement for employers with more than 100 workers.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan: Masked or vaxxed students more likely to avoid COVID quarantine
Fewer K-12 students will likely have to stay home from school because of exposure to COVID under new recommendations from the state health department. But local schools and health departments will have the final say on safety rules this year.
Posted inTalent & Education
More Michigan 3rd-graders struggled to read amid COVID, remote learning
African-American and low-income third-graders were far more likely to be flagged for possible retention due to low reading test scores than their white or non-poor classmates. How many students are actually being held back remains unclear.
Posted inTalent & Education
Majority of Michigan students must now mask up, as Ingham, Washtenaw add rules
Eight of the nine most populous counties in the state now have orders requiring face masks in school buildings.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan student test scores slump, as COVID halts slow progress
Scores fall, in some cases alarmingly so. But educators caution against reading too much into results from a year in which students were in and out of classrooms.