More than 90 percent of students flagged for retention were promoted, a study finds. Low-income and Black third-graders were more likely to be held back because of poor reading scores.
Ron French
Ron French is the senior enterprise reporter at Bridge Michigan, covering a wide range of topics including rural communities, federal policy impacts, education and public health. Born and raised in Indiana, Ron came to Bridge in 2011 from The Detroit News, where he was a project reporter, and previously reported for newspapers across Indiana. He graduated from Purdue University.
Rooted in Okemos, Ron has become a true Michigander — complete with a family cabin Up North.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan college COVID outbreaks plummet as students vaccinate and mask up
Cases related to outbreaks are down at colleges this fall, but have risen sharply in the state’s K-12 system, where students are far less likely to be vaccinated or required to wear a mask.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Amid controversies, U-M President Mark Schlissel announces 2023 departure
The leader of one of the top public universities in the nation has had some ups and downs in eight years at the helm.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
COVID outbreaks in Michigan schools already 8 times higher than last year
Experts attribute the rise to more students in classrooms, fewer masks and a more contagious delta variant, sending infections up in Michigan classrooms.
Posted inMichigan Politics Watch
Michigan counties dump mask rules for thousands of pupils amid budget mess
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.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
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 Politics Watch
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 inMichigan Education Watch
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 Politics Watch
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.
