* Michigan State University professor David Arsen whips out the v-word in an open letter to Gov. Rick Snyder about his school ideas: “The Oxford funding proposal and HB 5923 represent a truly dramatic strategy to shift the provision of Michigan’s educational services outside locally-governed school districts. They would establish the closest approximation to a universal […]
North Carolina
Posted inPhil's Column
Half the investment on colleges means a full measure of trouble for Michigan
To grow Michigan’s economy, we need more skilled workers, an estimated 1 million two- and four-year college graduates are needed to fill the job vacancies by 2025. Employers all over our state are complaining they can’t find workers with adequate skills to meet their job openings. The logic of increasing state support for higher education is […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan lags on ethics, lobbying, campaign rules
If Michigan lawmakers are serious about cluing the public in on the money being spent to win elections and influence policy-makers, there are plenty of places to look for guidance. Fifty states have crafted 50 systems, which vary substantially. Oregon, for example, is exceptionally strong in making sure that all campaign donations and spending are […]
Posted inTalent & Education
How much investment on early childhood is 'legal?'
Early childhood programs were largely protected during Michigan’s budget battles this year, even though advocates such as Michigan Children’s Jack Kresnak believe EC remains at risk. The House Education Committee has been holding hearings on early childhood education in Lansing in recent weeks. A policy battle raging 1,000 miles away, however, may have a bearing […]