Talent & Education

Pushing for the best price and finding a school that’s the right fit are just two factors to consider when deciding where to enroll in the fall, according to two top college advisors.

The bills, which passed by votes of 104-1, reflect a national trend away from reliance on standardized testing by U.S. colleges and universities.

Republicans say the grants would help parents to choose private academic programs to help their children catch up after COVID. Democrats are wary, saying any extra funds should go directly to schools to help struggling students.

The House and Senate bills differ a bit, but they both reflect broad, bipartisan support for quickly getting more teachers in Michigan classrooms amid a critical teacher shortage.

Dorm occupancy was just 63 percent this year, prompting CMU to consolidate its on-campus housing. It’s another example of the effects of waning enrollment in some of Michigan’s universities.

Educators howled when legislators passed a law allowing school staffers to serve as substitutes temporarily. Months later, hardly any schools regularly take advantage of the law.

Students tell a forum hosted by Bridge Michigan, Chalkbeat Detroit and Detroit Free Press that they have little faith in the mental-health services they receive at school.

The pandemic exacerbated a slow-burning mental health crisis in Michigan’s schools. Whitmer wants to open 40 centers to help. Advocates say that’s not enough.

Some public schools are reporting double-digit declines, as certainty over in-person classes fuels increases in private school enrollment. Homeschooling also is up.

An unprecedented $6 billion in federal COVID relief money has come to Michigan to help schools, with mental-health support one of its pillars. It’s a lot of money, but young students will need a lot of help.

The educators, a wife and husband, say staying in a field they love became “unsustainable.” Their frustration and disillusionment is reflected in recent teacher surveys, which show roughly 1-in-5 Michigan teachers are thinking about leaving.

Fissures over COVID safety protections in schools have left a region divided and sent a veteran health officer packing.

Michigan State University announced Thursday that it will soon allow students and staff to be unmasked in many indoor settings. There are exceptions including in classrooms and in healthcare facilities.

If approved, parents could choose their children’s tutoring, software, or other education support from a “marketplace” of education vendors to help boost their education following the disruption of COVID-19.

Graduation rates in Michigan dipped for the first time in recent years.

A lawsuit challenging the university’s rule that students and staff must be vaccinated was dismissed Wednesday in federal court. The plaintiffs vow to appeal.

An elementary school principal tries to set a respectful tone as students and families return to class for the first time in a long time without the requirement of wearing a mask.

Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says he likely won’t seek to terminate unvaccinated employees, changing his position on enforcing the school district’s staff vaccine policy.

There does not appear to be a shortage of high school students eager to enroll in career tech. But it’s difficult to find CTE instructors because schools can’t match the salaries of industry.

Michigan’s career and technical education system is hobbled by enormous funding inequities across the state, even as Kalamazoo builds a state-of-the-art CTE center bankrolled by an anonymous donor.