Dear Bridge Readers, This letter is a public apology to Jase Bolger, Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. We are apologizing for poor judgment in the handling of a recent guest column Mr. Bolger published in Bridge. Mr. Bolger has not formally requested this apology. But, in the final analysis, we think we owe […]
Center for Michigan
Posted inPhil's Column
State leaders navigating a route to new dollars for roads
Phil Power is founder and chairman of the Center for Michigan. Finding money to fix our crumbling roads has been by far the biggest (ahem) roadblock in Lansing for many months. Although nobody’s willing to come out and say so publicly, within the last few days a structure has emerged for getting the estimated $1.2 […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
* The Michigan Virtual University has some ideas on how to reform K-12 education. In microcosm, the description of said report reveals just how difficult it is to get education professionals and parents and citizens into an earnest discussion of the topic. For example: “Teachers: Michigan must create a statewide system of support for teachers as […]
Posted inTalent & Education
School experts wrestle with choice, early ed policies (with video)
A capacity audience of parents and education leaders turned out for a televised townhall in Wixom Wednesday, co-hosted by the Center for Michigan and Detroit Public Television. The agenda of the session was to review and analyze the findings in CFM’s latest report, “The Public’s Agenda for Public Education: How Michigan citizens want to improve […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Why is education establishment resisting school reform?
By Peter B. Ruddell/Wiener Associates It’s about the kids, not the district. Despite the Center for Michigan’s recent report and Michigan’s mediocre (but improving) education achievement, the entrenched education establishment is arguing the status quo is good for kids. This time the arguments come high atop the traditional education establishment’s ivory tower – from David […]
Posted inGuest Commentary
Guest column: Make every vote count
By Dan Brown The result of gerrymandering is the antithesis of representative government. As Phil Power recently noted, when the 2012 election gives one party 54 percent of the seats in the Michigan House of Representatives while receiving only 45 percent of the vote, the concept of representative government is negated. But, is it only […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Snyder adviser, educator pull no punches before large audience at education summit
MAKING HIS CASE: Sen. Roger Kahn (far left) discusses the need to vastly increase funding for early childhood programs during a panel at the Center for Michigan’s “Future of Education” summit in Lansing Tuesday. “If the governor’s budget falls short, I’ll push for $140 million,” Kahn said. (Bridge photo/Lon Horwedel) Oakland Schools Superintendent Vickie Markavitch […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Who said what at the ‘Future of Education’ summit
Nearly 500 people convened in Lansing Tuesday to listen to and question education leaders and experts about the findings in the Center for Michigan’s new report, “The Public’s Agenda for Public Education.” While audience members had plenty of information to chew on from the three panels – on early childhood, teacher preparation and accountability and current […]
Posted inTalent & Education
Preschool expansion popular with public
Nobody needs to convince Kelly Hart of the importance of early childhood education. The Flushing woman is the mother of five children who’ve gone through the Great Start Readiness Program, the state-funded preschool for 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families. “I’ve always loved the program,” Hart said. “We’ve been lucky to have our kids in […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links K-12 edition
The Center for Michigan’s new report on public attitudes on school reform drew widespread coverage from Michigan’s media this week. * mlive.com: “A majority of Michigan residents give the state’s public K-12 schools a grade of “C” or lower, and they see the best ways to fix the system as expanding access to preschool and improving […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.