Michigan farmers commit suicide at more than twice the rate of other occupations. Dueling budgets in the Legislature include no funding for intervention or help.
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
Money woes imperil Traverse City’s bid to boost reading scores with free books
Northwest Michigan is betting that providing preschoolers with books can boost plummeting reading scores. Early signs are encouraging, but funding uncertainties linger.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan schools are floundering. How some buck the trend, improve literacy
Michigan reading scores are at record lows. Some districts are boosting literacy by investing in training, curriculum and data. Can their success be applied statewide?
Posted inTalent & Education
Report: Give governor more control to improve Michigan schools, test scores
The state paid $500,000 for a report on how to improve Michigan schools. Not all are thrilled with the recommendations.
Posted inTalent & Education
Here’s how governor candidates say they’d fix Michigan education
Tougher graduation requirements, more teacher training on literacy and more school choice are among the ideas candidates are pitching to improve Michigan K-12 education.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan schools on hiring spree. Can it reverse ‘Titanic’ learning losses?
Michigan has 21,000 more teacher aides than a decade ago helping a shrinking population of schoolkids. Hiring more adults has yet to reverse learning skids, but one lawmaker likens it to turning around the Titanic.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan spent big to fix schools. The result: Worse scores and plenty of blame
Ten years ago, Michigan vowed to become a Top 10 state for education. Since then, it’s outspent many other states and seen diminishing returns amid a revolving door of reforms.
Posted inTalent & Education
Fact check: What’s true, false, misleading about Michigan’s education slide
From poverty and special interests to the lockdown and school choice, theories abound about Michigan’s declining test scores. Other states have the same issues but are doing better.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Opioid crisis cost Michigan $38 billion in 2024, new analysis finds
Lost productivity, wages and the cost of police and courts reveal the far-reaching impact of substance use disorder in Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan may lose $93M in federal funds for drug treatment, recovery
The loss of almost a third of Michigan’s drug-fighting funds could thwart efforts to save lives.