Since LaQuanda Pratt enrolled at Wayne State University three years ago, many of the African-American students she shared classes with are gone. Some left the college because of family difficulties, Pratt recalled. Some ran out of money. Others couldn’t cut it academically. “A lot of students aren’t prepared,” said the 20-year-old psychology major from Detroit. […]
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
A new Detroit turnaround plan: Wayne State's
After spending most of his career as an executive at Ford Motor Co., Wayne State President Allan Gilmour knows plenty about retooling. Taking a redesigned car from the drawing board to the showroom can take three or four years. Building a successful student retention program could take longer. From free housing for the summer to […]
Posted inTalent & Education
A Wayne graduate and the class of whenever
The new year brought a new milestone in my life. I graduated from Wayne State University, with a master’s degree in communications/journalism. That fact, possessing a Wayne State degree as an African-American student, makes me something of a rarity, as Bridge’s coverage of the struggles of African-American students at Wayne makes clear. As expected, my […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Racial grad gaps at Mich. public universities
There is a 22-percent gap between white and black graduation rates atMichiganpublic universities – significantly wider than the national public university racial gap of 16 percent. Wayne State University has the largest racial graduation gap in the state, and the largest in the nation among public universities. Here are rates for 2009, the most recent […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Join Twitter Chat on K-12 schools
February has an extra day this year; why not take your lunch hour (noon to 1 p.m.) on Feb. 29 to join other concerned Michigan residents to discuss student learning in Michigan schools? The Center for Michigan, Bridge’s parent organization, is joining forces with the Detroit Free Press to host an online conversation about ways to improve […]
Posted inTalent & Education
School virtual; learning real
When high school senior Makenzi Leinhert had a schedule conflict last year, she didn’t have to make the choice between core classes or electives. Instead, her counselor suggested she take an online algebra course to fulfill a requirement and open up her schedule for other face-to-face courses. “When I took Algebra 2 online, my mom […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Guest post: K-12 'increase' is actually a cut
By Mitch Bean Compared to last year, this year’s gubernatorial budget presentation was a bit boring. There were, however, a few interesting aspects worth mentioning. Let’s start with the way funding for K-12 was described. The description in the budget document is that the recommendation for FY 2013 is a 2.5 percent increase, and the […]
Posted inTalent & Education
High school champs tout rigor
In a state where only about three-quarters of public-school students graduate from high school and a dismal 17 percent are considered college-ready by the ACT standard, Midland Academy of Advanced and Creative Studies stands alone. The Midland-based charter school graduated 100 percent of its students in the 2010-11 school year, 50 percent of whom were […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Risk, analysis make charter math champs
Stepping out of the box is more than a cliche at Canton Charter Academy — it’s an act that’s strongly encouraged, said Principal Catherine Henkenberns, who gives her teachers room to stretch themselves as educators. “I want them to feel free to take risks and to really do what they think is going to be best […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Practice makes perfect (reading scores)
Set in the country on nearly 70 acres marked by rolling creeks, nature trails and nearby farms is Countryside Academy. This green-themed school near Benton Harbor integrates an environmentally based curriculum into learning. Principal Steve Rigoni said instruction revolves around the environment: “Students in English class can be reading about the environment or renewable resources, […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.