Imagine a world where your teenage son chooses high school courses like picking dishes in a cafeteria – a serving of Advanced Placement chemistry in the white collar enclave across the river, Spanish online at the dining room table, an English class at the local community college, band at his home school. Now imagine that […]
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
Ad campaign leaves voters, experts unimpressed
Conventional political wisdom about ballot proposals says that they’re almost always an uphill battle. The “no” side has an advantage with an electorate that often looks on change with skepticism. So says Robert Kolt, whose Okemos-based Kolt Communications specializes in advertising. (He also teaches at Michigan State University.) But, he adds, that’s not to say […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Proposal 5: Supermajority rule on taxes
The signal moment in the budget reform agenda of Gov. Rick Snyder came by a margin of one, as the state Senate voted 20-19 in May 2011 to approve a $1.7 billion tax cut for business and impose a variety of changes to Michigan’s personal income tax. Lt. Gov. Brian Calley cast a rare tie-breaking […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Global schooling for a smaller world
What started as a curriculum for children of diplomats and leaders of multinational corporations is being adopted in an increasing number of Michigan schools. The International Baccalaureate Programme — “IB” as it’s commonly called — has special emphasis on internationalism. At the high-school level, a world language is a requirement. Those students also write a […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Lansing, Flint, Howell and Pontiac are stops on K-12 townhall series
Michiganians, October is your last chance to discuss K-12 education and reform as part of the Center for Michigan’s townhall series on the topic: WHEN: Oct. 16, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Elmhurst Elementary School gym, 2400 Pattengill Ave., Lansing RSVP: Carolyn Stone – Carolyn.stone@lansingschools.net WHEN: Oct. 21, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. WHERE: […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan can teach plenty more preschoolers
In his April 2011 special message on education reform, Gov. Rick Snyder extolled early childhood education as an economic engine for the state. The speech was 13 pages long. He could have made the same point by just introducing legislators to Lilly Wolf. Lilly attended the state-funded Great Start Readiness Program last year in Hartford […]
Posted inTalent & Education
With state funding stuck, communities go DIY on preschool
On a warm summer evening, an ice cream truck moved slowly through a blue collar neighborhood of Holland, offering free ice cream — and free preschool. As children ran to the truck, Ready For School volunteers pulling red wagons offered bilingual Clifford the Red Dog books and fliers promoting early childhood education. Ice cream trucks […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Key senator says state must make long-term commitment to preschool funding
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw Township, made headlines recently when he proposed adding $140 million to the 2013-14 budget for state-funded preschool. Bridge spoke to him about his proposal, the hurdles the proposal might face and why he’s become an outspoken advocate for early childhood education. Bridge: You proposed $140 million in additional funding […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Business boosts ambitious pre-K expansion plans in Michigan
Momentum is growing for groundbreaking improvements to Michigan’s public preschool programs. Statewide business leaders are leading the way. “It’s become clear to the business community there are thousands of job openings going unfilled for lack of people with adequate skills,” said William Parfet, chairman and CEO of MPI Research in Mattawan and a member of […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Education discussion series enters home stretch; make your voice heard
Michiganians, October is your last chance to discuss K-12 education and reform as part of the Center for Michigan’s townhall series on the topic: WHEN: Oct. 4, 6: p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: ARISE Detroit, 5555 Conner Ave., Detroit RSVP: Luther Keith – (313) 921-1955 WHEN: Oct. 16, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Elmhurst […]