Teacher prep programs at Michigan colleges and universities are scrambling to adjust to the state’s beefed-up teacher readiness exam, first given this past fall, that rated only a quarter of aspiring teachers ready for the classroom. The panic is being felt from the halls of Michigan State University’s nationally renowned school of education, where less […]
Talent & Education
To prosper, Michigan must be a more educated place. Bridge will explore the challenges in education and identify policies and initiatives that address them.
Posted inTalent & Education
Outdated spending cap keeps state from screening out less-qualified teachers
Comparison of teacher certification costs by state Lower costs, simpler tests – Michigan charges less for teacher certification tests than surrounding states. Lower fees mean Michigan has less money to pay for tests rigorous enough to screen out less-prepared aspiring teachers. State General test Content-specific test Total Michigan $50 $75 $125 Indiana $114 $150 $264 […]
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‘Zero tolerance’ school reforms hit resistance in Michigan
Dave Rice, principal at Roseville Middle School in Macomb County, was skeptical of alternatives to zero tolerance discipline policies. He’s now a big supporter of his school’s “restorative justice” approach, which he said has cut expulsions and gained buy-in from teachers and parents. Eighteen months after state education leaders urged reforms to “zero-tolerance” discipline […]
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A tussle over a note in class, then handcuffs
Freshman Kyle Thompson was expelled and faced a criminal charge after a confrontation with his science teacher. (Courtesy photo) Kyle Thompson has done his best to move forward from that day last March. A sophomore at a small private Detroit high school, his most recent report card is straight A’s. He is making new friends. […]
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No way to know your school’s safety record
Either the kids of Caro High School have a drinking problem, or the adults have a data problem. According to Michigan’s official school safety data, the school of about 600 students in Michigan’s thumb recorded 4,815 cases of alcohol possession in the 2011-12 school year. For that data to be right, each high schooler would […]
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Citing accuracy concerns, state pulls school safety records from website
Read the letter the State Budget Office sent to the Michigan Department of Education regarding the removal of records from public view.
Posted inTalent & Education
How to talk to an American
MSU journalism major Max Gun discusses “100 Questions & Answers About Americans,” a new book on U.S. culture and slang with Linh Dao, a freshman from Vietnam. (Courtesy photo) Tell any American college student that you’re tailgating, hooking up or going on a pub crawl, and they’ll know you’re talking about partying before a sporting […]
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Michigan weighs “read-or-flunk” law for 3rd graders
How much is it worth to help third graders become better readers? Studies show third grade reading skills are critical. How well children read in third grade often predicts how well they’ll do in the rest of their school career, says State Superintendent Mike Flanagan. Students who are good readers by third grade dropout less, […]
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One in four aspiring teachers pass new teacher test
Becoming a teacher in Michigan just became a lot more difficult. Only one in four aspiring teachers passed a beefed-up version of Michigan’s teacher certification test – an exam that teachers must pass to be hired to lead a classroom – when the new test was administered for the first time last month. The initial […]
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What does good teaching look like? We’re about to find out
Imagine a Michigan where student teachers learn at the knee of the state’s best teachers; where master teachers descend into the most needy schools like SWAT teams; where struggling teachers get the training they need to improve, and where everyone knows which teacher colleges turn out all-stars, and which producing duds. Now imagine a Michigan […]
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