Those Precious First Days
Two weeks ago, I welcomed my son – Lennon – into this world. Being my first child, I must admit that I was less anxious about the actual labor and…
Blog
Extending Educational Accountability Beyond the School Doors
We have high expectations of our education system, and rightly so. Educators have one of the most important jobs with the greatest ability to impact Michigan’s economic recovery. Do we…
Shining a Spotlight on Third Grade Reading
Last month, House Bill (HB) 5111 was introduced to address the significant challenges Michigan students face regarding third grade reading proficiency. The 2012 Michigan Kids Count Data Book reported that…
Cross-Sector Coordination Essential in the First Eight Years of Life
Today, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released a Kids Count Policy Report titled The First Eight Years: Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success. This report takes a close look…
Michigan’s Child Care System Continues to Struggle
Today, the National Women’s Law Center released its annual state-by-state report on the status of child care. This year’s report, Pivot Point: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2013, examines five…
Starting Off with a Shutdown
October 1st marks the beginning of the new fiscal year for both the State of Michigan and the United States. And boy are they starting off in two completely different…
Beyond the Bickering to What Matters
I was so proud today to see the culmination of hard work from two members of our Congressional Delegation – yes, our Congressional Delegation, those guys in DC who are…
Building Successful 21st Century Learners – the Common Core and Beyond
I spent the week last week with colleagues from around the country as part of the C.S. Mott Foundation-funded White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellowship, strategizing individual and collective action necessary to garner…
Supporting Michigan’s Poorest Families with Young Children from Birth to Age Three
Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2012 data on poverty rates across the country and the data was bleak for Michigan. While our child poverty rate did not…
Supporting Effective, Equitable Investments in Education
Earlier this month, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report reflecting what we’ve known and felt all over the state – that we in Michigan, similar to many…