Advocacy

Editor's note: Annually, September 15 – October 15 serves as Hispanic Heritage Month, providing a time to pay tribute to the many contributions, cultures and histories of American Latinos who have influenced and enriched our nation. Throughout the month we are spotlighting members from the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity – a diverse statewide coalition of leaders and organizations ranging from civil rights, business, civic, parent, and other sectors – and the incredible work they do for students and education equity. At the age of nine, Adnoris “Bo” Torres migrated from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, to Battle Creek, Michigan, with his [...]

The Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO) is a diverse statewide coalition focused on advancing opportunity and improving learning outcomes for all of Michigan’s students, particularly those who are the most underserved, including Black, Latino, and Arab-American children, those living in concentrated poverty and rural districts, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners. MPEO envisions that Michigan will be a Top 10 education state in public education, a place where all children achieve at high levels. We must act urgently to transform our education system so that Michigan’s students have the same opportunity for success as students in leading [...]

Editor's note: Annually, September 15 – October 15 serves as Hispanic Heritage Month, providing a time to pay tribute to the many contributions, cultures and histories of American Latinos who have influenced and enriched our nation. Throughout the month we are spotlighting members from the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity – a diverse statewide coalition of leaders and organizations ranging from civil rights, business, civic, parent, and other sectors – and the incredible work they do for students and education equity. Born a first-generation Mexican American in Los Angeles, Gaby Cordova says that her mother instilled in her the values [...]

New School Funding “Opportunity Index” Makes Michigan Among First Ten States in the U.S. for Innovation in Investing in Public School Districts Based on Poverty Level; New State Budget Also Makes Important Immediate Investments in Students Who Qualify for At-Risk Funding, English Learners and Students with Disabilities Statement by members of the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity coalition and The Education Trust-Midwest on Michigan School Aid Budget conference committee’s history-making vote for a new state school funding model and FY24 school budget:   Today, for the first time in Michigan’s history, Michigan joins the nation’s first ten states [...]

For the first time in Michigan’s history, state Senate leaders are proposing to create a much fairer school funding formula while making significant investments in public education. The transformation would be significant, especially for students who have long been impacted by education inequities – children from low-income backgrounds, Black, Latino and Arab-American students, rural students, English Learners, students with disabilities and those living in concentrated poverty. Last week, the House and Senate began advancing their versions of the Fiscal Year ‘24 school aid budget. On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on PreK-12 voted to approve Senate Bill 173 which would make major [...]