An estimated 5,000 students could be flagged to repeat third grade because of low reading scores. In her State of the State address, Whitmer will unveil a plan designed to help parents get around the Republican-backed law.
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
Students drinking less at MSU and U-M, but still more than national average
Fewer college students are binge drinking at Michigan’s two Big Ten universities. One possible reason: campaigns to correct students’ “Animal House” perceptions of their school’s drinking culture.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
If you drink at college, follow these tips to avoid serious danger
Binge drinking is declining nationally as awareness of the dangers of excessive drinking increases.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan offers little help for child care. That may change in 2020
A critical mass of business, political and education leaders pushes for reforms to increase child care access and affordability for low- and middle-income Michiganders.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
University of Michigan provost accused of sexual misconduct
Several people have made sexual misconduct allegations against Martin Philbert, a longtime fixture in Ann Arbor and former dean of U-M’s School of Public Health.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan inches toward universal pre-K as leaders support 2-year kindergarten
With bipartisan support in Lansing and a push from parents, two-year kindergarten programs are growing across the state, effectively leading the state toward a form of universal preschool.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Michigan leaders join forces to reform schools. Can it work this time?
Business leaders, teacher unions, charter schools and philanthropies are now saying the same thing: We have a plan to improve our schools. In Michigan, that’s news.
Posted inMichigan Politics Watch
Mike Shirkey: I’m open to changing Michigan’s third-grade reading law
Hearing concerns from educators, Michigan’s Senate Majority Leader says he’s considering changes to the law that could flunk 5,000 third-graders in May.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
15,000 Michigan kids take two years of kindergarten. Is Lansing listening?
More families, most of them white and more affluent, are enrolling children in two years of kindergarten, saving child-care costs and giving schools more state money. In effect, parents are stepping in when Lansing won’t.
Posted inMichigan Education Watch
Choice of Michigan college can make a (million-dollar) difference
A college degree still pays off, but pays off more at some universities than others, according to a new study. Compare the return on investment at Michigan two- and four-year colleges.