Today, The Republican-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee voted 9-8 to close the school retirement system to new members. In laymen's terms, if this bill passes, any new teachers would not have state funded pensions but would rather have retirement programs similar to 401K programs. This is a great start to reforming a system that has been broken for many years. Currently, there are two pension programs for teachers, including the "old-school," full pension plans that most people … [Read more...] about Drain the Lansing Swamp… Reform Teacher Pensions
Education in Michigan
Stop Legislatures from Collecting Personal Data from Students
Today, the House Education Committee in Lansing is holding a hearing regarding two bills that passed in our Senate: Senate Bill 33 and Senate Bill 510. Both of these bills are worrisome to parents, activists, and teachers who care about the privacy of Michigan's schoolchildren. SB 33 and SB 510 are two bills that overstep the boundaries between our government and our families. Stop Common Core in Michigan has this to say about the bills: “The bills give legal authority to online operators … [Read more...] about Stop Legislatures from Collecting Personal Data from Students
Video of the Day: Why is College so Expensive?
One of the greatest parts of Michigan is our beloved universities. Whether you yell, "Go Green," "Go Blue," "Fire Up Chips." or anything in between, we take pride in our colleges and our collegiate traditions. But, the greatest downside of our universities is the tremendous cost to its students. The average Michigan college student will spend at a minimum $100,000 to obtain a Bachelor's degree. This is not sustainable nor acceptable, and it must change. But why is college so expensive? Watch our … [Read more...] about Video of the Day: Why is College so Expensive?
Weekly Poll #3
Last week we asked our followers on social media, "if you had complete control of the education system in Michigan, what would you do to improve it?" Once again, we had some great answers and it is clear that education is on the minds of many Michiganders with the upcoming election around the corner. Our two favorite answers for this week came from Jeff Cruse and Joan Merritt. Jeff said that to improve the education system in Michigan he would move teachers' pensions to private 401K accounts. … [Read more...] about Weekly Poll #3
Weekly Poll #2
Yesterday, we conducted our second weekly poll with our followers on social media. Our question was, “if you could pass one law to improve Michigan’s economy, what would it be?” Once again, we received great answers. Our favorite answers for Weekly Poll #2 come courtesy of Josh Rimatzki and Emily Lenerz. If Josh could change any law, he would get rid of mandatory car insurance, “good drivers should have the choice not to pay for others extreme carelessness.” Regardless of one’s support for … [Read more...] about Weekly Poll #2
The Common Core Substitute Bill Is A Huge Mistake
Here at the Michigan Prosperity Project, we have been talking about the ongoing efforts to repeal and replace common core throughout the State. Common Core is a disaster for Michigan and our families who want an education system that is not ran by bureaucrats but rather by parents, teachers, and local communities. Common Core is also a financial disaster, costing states billions of dollars to implement. Luckily, there was a Senate Bill that addressed these issues by making it explicitly clear … [Read more...] about The Common Core Substitute Bill Is A Huge Mistake