OVER A DECADE OF
Advocacy & Opportunity
OVER A DECADE OF Advocacy & Opportunity
2011
The Education Trust-Midwest (ETM) launches as a new division of The Education Trust, one of the country’s leading organizations focused on closing gaps in opportunity and achievement for Black and Latino students and children from low-income backgrounds. The organization begins producing groundbreaking analyses and evidence-based policy recommendations.
January
- Education Trust-Midwest conducts a state-wide listening tour to hear and learn from diverse public education stakeholders in Michigan. It also releases its first report, “Becoming a Leader in Education: An Agenda for Michigan,” which calls for honest performance data, among other proposals to strengthen the state’s education system.
February
- Following ETM’s advocacy for stronger transparency and public reporting about Michigan’s education performance, the Michigan State Board of Education votes to raise the proficiency “cut scores” on the MEAP exam and provide more transparent and truthful information to parents and the public about achievement in Michigan schools.
June
- With strong bipartisan support, the Michigan legislature votes to revamp the teacher tenure model in the state, which is later approved by Governor Rick Snyder. The new laws include a focus on performance-based tenure, more feedback and professional development for early-career teachers, and the creation of the Michigan Council for Educator Effectiveness (MCEE). Ed Trust-Midwest becomes a leading non-partisan voice in the public debate over the bills, emphasizing the importance of creating a system that supports the development of educator development and the adoption of best practices.
September
- ETM advocates for Michigan to apply for a No Child Left Behind waiver and to create a plan to adopt and implement high-level college-and-career-readiness standards and assessments and improve low-performing schools, among other recommendations.
- Education Trust-Midwest is among the first organizations in the state to call strong performance standards and a thoughtful, evidenced-based new system of charter school accountability, following the introduction of new legislation proposing to lift the cap on charter schools in Michigan.
December
- Senate Bill 618 passes the legislature and is signed into law, lifting the cap on the number of charter schools in Michigan. ETM continues advocating for charter school accountability and emphasizing the need to ensure that new schools are high quality.
2012
April
- The Michigan Council for Educator Effectiveness’s initial report is released with ETM support for recommendations including passing legislation to fund and support piloting educator evaluation systems across the state, creating pathways for master teacher programs, and supporting the development of an opt-in standardized evaluation model. ETM releases the report “What our Students Deserve: The Truth about Education in the Great Lakes State.”
July
- Michigan’s No Child Left Behind waiver is approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
September
- ETM’s “Strengthening Michigan’s Teaching Force” report advocates for a comprehensive state-wide teacher evaluation system in Michigan and garners significant press.
November
- ETM’s “Good for Teachers, Good for Students: The Need for Smart Teacher Evaluation in Michigan” builds upon the September report and analyzes current school district evaluation systems, finding that they provide limited feedback, allow tenured teachers to go unobserved, rarely take into account student performance, and do not include master teacher pathways.
2013
ETM centers policy conversations on the need for research-based, data-driven education investment through reports and press coverage.
April
- ETM releases a case-making report for investment in education in Michigan through the “Invest in What Works: A Roadmap for Michigan Leaders” report. The report gathers significant press coverage.
July
- Led by University of Michigan School of Education Dean Deborah Loewenberg Ball, the Michigan Council on Educator Effectiveness issues its final report, including ETM recommendations, for a new educator evaluation system in Michigan based on an opt-out model where districts may use the state system or their own approved local evaluation model. ETM guides press conversations on recommendations, including a master teacher pathway.
September
- As Michigan begins implementation of new college- and career-ready standards, ETM launches the Michigan Coalition for High Student Standards in close partnership with major K-12 education organizations and business organizations. The coalition of more than 145 organizations actively works to support the Common Core standards and urge the legislature to pass funding for their implementation and an aligned assessment system. The Coalition releases survey results reporting that 71% of Michigan voters support Common Core.
October
- Following strong advocacy from ETM and the Coalition for High Student Standards, the state legislature votes to restore funding to the implementation of Common Core college-and-career-readiness standards.
December
- ETM advocates for state leaders to invest significantly in training and support of educators as they implement new college- and career-ready standards across the state.
2014
Ed Trust-Midwest launches a new campaign to make Michigan a top ten education state. The campaign captures the attention of many organizations who increasingly are engaged on education issues.
February
- ETM testifies to the state legislature about a new state assessment aligned to college-and-career-readiness standards.
April
- ETM’s annual State of Michigan Education report, “Stalled to Soaring: Michigan’s Path to Educational Recovery,” highlights the trajectories and strategies of leading education states such as Massachusetts and fast-improving states such as Tennessee. It also introduces the concept of a “grand bargain” for Michigan public education: much greater public investment in the system for greater accountability and transparency.
May
- Education Trust National President Kati Haycock joins ETM at the Mackinac Policy Conference.
October
- State lawmakers introduce legislation aligned with ETM’s policy priorities including HB 5111 and 5114, which would provide support for early literacy interventions and screening.
November
- The M-STEP is officially adopted to replace the MEAP exam after strong ETM advocacy. The assessment is taken in the spring rather than fall and requires additional demonstration of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
December
- ETM continues to advocate for charter accountability after a report from the National Association of Charter Authorizers ranks Michigan last in the country for charter regulation and performance.
2015
Ed Trust-Midwest launches a new campaign to make Michigan a top ten education state. The campaign captures the attention of many organizations who increasingly are engaged on education issues. It also launches a new Center on Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
January
- In partnership with the Steelcase Foundation, ETM launches the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to foster high-quality instruction and new systems of teacher leadership and school improvement in high-poverty public schools in West Michigan. The new center is led by a team of veteran Michigan urban educators.
February
- ETM publishes “Accountability for All: The Need for Real Charter Authorizer Accountability” advocating for strong charter school oversight and regulations to hold authorizers to high performance standards.
March
- ETM presents to the House Education Committee on strategies for boosting third-grade literacy based on evidence from top education states.
May
- Launching a new campaign, Ed Trust-Midwest begins benchmarking Michigan’s educational improvement and progress compared to leading and fast-improving education states around the country in the report “Michigan Achieves: Becoming a Top Ten Education State.”
August
- The U.S. Department of Education provides a grant to Michigan schools to fund AP courses and exams. ETM calls for rigorous course offerings for all students in the Michigan Achieves report.
- HB 4822, new early literacy intervention legislation, is introduced in the state legislature following ETM advocacy for early literacy support.
October
- ETM hosts the Michigan Achieves! State leadership retreat with education, business, and community leaders and hosts sessions to learn from education leaders in top states such as Massachusetts and Tennessee.
November
2016
Along with watershed reports and analyses on charter school accountability and Michigan’s talent crisis, ETM brings together leaders from across sectors to chart a path for Michigan to become a leading education state.
February
- “Accountability for All: 2016 the Broken Promise of Michigan’s Charter Sector” and “Charter Authorizer Report Cards” are published with emphasis on charter accountability, particularly for low-income students and students who are underserved. The report gathers much attention.
April
May
- “Michigan’s Talent Crisis: The Economic Case for Rebuilding Michigan’s Broken Public Education System” report describes the economic implications of the state’s low academic performance. ETM advocates for investment in early literacy, equitable school funding, and availability of rigorous coursework.
ETM brings Michigan’s school funding inequities to the forefront of the Mackinac Policy Conference with Education Trust National President Kati Haycock.
September
- HB 4822, the Read by Grade Three law, passes the Michigan state legislature.
- ETM’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning expands.
2017
ETM brings Michigan’s longstanding education inequities to the forefront of policy discussions through analyses, policy recommendations, reports, and convenings.
January
- Through strong media relationships, media coverage stands at 426.6 million potential readers.
March
- The “Opportunities in Michigan’s State Budget: Advancing Equity in Public Education” report by ETM praises the Governor’s proposed increased education funding in the budget.
ETM Executive Director Amber Arellano participates in the Detroit Drives Degrees event of the Detroit Regional Chamber and advocates for access to post-secondary education.
ETM opposes legislation watering down the Michigan Merit Curriculum. The measure does not pass the legislature this session.
ETM leads opposition to legislation abandoning the Common Core college-and-career-readiness standards. None of these pieces of legislation made it past committee.
June
December
- The U.S. Department of Education approves Michigan’s ESSA plan.
2018
Education Trust welcomes a new president, John King Jr., former U.S. Secretary of Education for the Obama administration. Ed Trust-Midwest launches new strands of work to advance greater investment in raising reading levels and to address barriers to young children’s reading success.
March
- “Top Ten for Education: Not by Chance” report focuses on third-grade literacy in Michigan and recommends stronger systems of evaluation and transparency for early literacy spending and interventions, and quality professional development in teaching literacy for educators.
ETM’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning schools show significant improvement in math and reading.
Amber Arellano, Executive Director of ETM, is a featured panelist at the Center for Michigan Solutions Summit.
ETM guides policy conversations on achievement gaps in Michigan at the Mackinac Policy Conference with keynote delivered by Ed Trust National’s President, John King Jr.
November
- ETM files an amicus brief in support of Detroit Public School students in the Right to Read lawsuit.
2019
ETM leads a new effort to address barriers to young children’s reading success in partnership with other organizations. It also leads statewide convenings and issues research-based reports on the need for equity-based investments. Advocacy efforts continue to focus on strong graduation requirements and the accessibility of post-secondary education opportunities. The organization also launches a new partnership aimed at supporting Detroit families after the state passes a new “Read by Grade Three” law.
January
- ETM hosts the “Opportunity for All” summit bringing leading education experts and diverse stakeholders together from across the state for an equity-focused convening.
March
- ETM’s “Advancing Equity and Opportunity: Prioritizing Public Education in Michigan’s State Budget” report analyzes the Governor’s budget proposal and supports provisions for equitable funding to support at-risk students, early literacy initiatives, and increasing post-secondary access.
- ETM launches a new partnership with the Detroit Parent Network to help Detroit parents understand the Read by Grade Three legislation and requirements and support their efforts to ensure their young children are reading on grade level by third grade.
April
- ETM advocates for Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed Michigan Reconnect and Michigan Opportunity programs, providing increased access to post-secondary education for Michiganders.
May
- “2019 State of Michigan Education Report: Opportunity for All” report calls for equitable investments in education including early literacy support, equitable funding, master teacher pathways, high-quality professional development, and increased access to post-secondary education.
June
- Michigan state legislature passes a dyslexia screening requirement and funding for early literacy coaches under the Read by Grade Three Law in the state budget.
- With ETM support, the State Board of Education votes to adopt new state social studies standards that promote a complete education in the history of civil rights and civil liberties.
November
December
- ETM supports the “Governor’s FAFSA Challenge,” an initiative encouraging high school students to complete the FAFSA application for financial aid to increase access to post-secondary education.
2020
ETM releases its first report on school funding, making the case for greater investments for underserved students, coupled with accountability for spending. As the COVID-19 pandemic begins, ETM’s work shifts dramatically to focus on the needs of Michigan’s vulnerable students amid the COVID-19 crisis.
January
- ETM’s “Michigan’s School Funding: Crisis and Opportunity” report advocates for an equitable funding model for public education in Michigan, including increases in weighted funding for low-income students, English language learners, and districts with high concentrations of poverty.
February
- ETM launches the fair funding pledge public advocacy campaign
March
- ETM gathers a new coalition of equity advocates, who later become the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity, to support all children at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
April
- ETM publishes fact sheets on supporting at-risk groups during COVID, including students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, and English learners.
- ETM leads equity partners in advocating for Michigan to be the first state in the country to provide Pandemic EBT funding to families with children who receive free-or-reduced-price lunch at an amount equal to the cost of meals for the rest of the school year.
- ETM leads partners in letter to Governor Whitmer calling for the use of CARES funding to support equity in education and care for the most vulnerable students.
May
- ETM and equity advocates continue advocating for equitable distribution of CARES funding focused on long-term improvement for vulnerable students by writing a letter to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- ETM writes letter to the Michigan Congressional delegation advocating for additional emergency funding for states for public education, addressing food insecurity, and investing in technology equity for students in distance learning.
- Right to Read settlement is reached providing $2.7 million to Detroit Public Schools for literacy programs and $40,000 to each student after a circuit court judge declares that the students were denied the right to basic education.
June
- ETM’s “2020 State of Michigan Education Report – A Marshall Plan: Reimagining Michigan Public Education” and “Digital Divide” analysis emphasize prioritizing equity in Michigan’s pandemic recovery. ETM recommends equitable funding, transparent data, socio-emotional supports, access to post-secondary opportunities, and addressing inequitable learning loss through quality virtual instruction, after school programs, and tutoring.
July
- “The Time is Now: COVID-19 and Fair Funding” policy brief further carries ETM’s advocacy for equitable funding in the wake of the pandemic and beyond.
August
- Michigan approves Benchmark Assessments requirement as part of school reopening deal to assess learning during the pandemic following ETM calls for data transparency.
ETM’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning deepens its efforts to support classroom teachers and school leaders through the pandemic. It also leads training for educators in literacy instruction in partnership with Leading Educators and West Michigan Leadership Academy.
2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, ETM launches new initiatives in collaboration with partners across Michigan and the U.S.: the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO) coalition, for which ETM serves as a backbone organization; and the Michigan Teacher Leadership Collaborative (MTLC), which ETM creates in collaboration with the national organization, Teach Plus; and with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a new public campaign that celebrates high-improving, high-poverty schools.
ETM also leads statewide advocacy around inequities faced by underserved students, including students with disabilities, English learners, Black and Latino students, and students from low-income backgrounds. And it becomes a leading voice on equitable school funding and the need for honest data on student learning in the pandemic.
January
- ETM’s “2021 State of Michigan Education Report: The Urgency of Now” emphasized the need to address inequitable learning loss and resource gaps during the pandemic through investments in digital access, extended learning programs, and fair funding.
February
- ETM and equity partners send a letter to the Michigan Department of Education in opposition to a full testing waiver for the state and advocating for summative assessments to understand the effects of the pandemic.
- Governor Whitmer launches the Michigan Reconnect program, expanding access to an associate’s degree or skills certificate for Michiganders over 25 following ETM’s previous support for the program.
March
- ETM joins the Detroit Free Press and Chalkbeat Detroit to launch webinars for the public on Michigan’s educational recovery.
- ETM testifies to the state legislature in support of HB 4055 and 4056, which pass later in the session, extending the time period that students have to use state tuition grants by two additional semesters to address delayed graduation caused by the pandemic.
May
- ETM’s “Talent Matters: Supporting Equity and Michigan’s Educators for Pandemic Recovery and Beyond” report assesses barriers to teacher quality, including pay gaps between the wealthiest and poorest districts in Michigan.
June
- ETM testifies in support of SB 380-383, a package of legislation providing dyslexia screening and training for educators to recognize and meet the needs of students with dyslexia.
- ETM launches the new Michigan Teacher Leadership Collaborative, providing equity-focused teachers with the opportunity to engage in policy discussions and advocacy. Teach Plus is a co-lead in the effort.
August
- Governor Whitmer launches the Sixty by 30 campaign and initiatives to support 60% of Michiganders in acquiring a post-secondary degree or certificate by 2030.
September
- ETM spearheads the formal launch of the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO), a coalition of equity advocates. Among its first areas of focus: working to ensure that Michigan distributes federal stimulus dollars in an equitable manner to support vulnerable students.
- ETM advocates for intensive tutoring and expanded learning time as strategies to combat learning loss.
November
- ETM hosts Building a Movement, Building Hope summit, bringing leaders and national experts to discuss equitable school funding practices with teachers, school leaders, and state policymakers.
ETM selects four of the first-ever Building the Hope Schools after ETM analyzes schools from across the state, identifying those that have consistently demonstrated exceptional academic progress and growth for students who are underserved.
2022
Through reports and advocacy efforts, ETM continues to prioritize equitable funding in education and efforts to improve early reading interventions. The state school aid budget passes with the largest per-pupil funding in history and unprecedented increases in funding for at-risk students.
February
- ETM engages in advocacy and writes media pieces in support of Governor Whitmer’s budget proposal and advocates for a full 11.5% funding for at-risk students and removal of the clause that cuts school funding to balance the budget.
May
- ETM’s “Still Stalled: 2022 State of Michigan Education Report” calls for equitable use of federal stimulus funds, transparency in M-STEP data, feedback and support for educators, and fair funding in the state budget.
- The Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO) issues companion report entitled “We Imagine” proposing a vision for Michigan’s students if the education system were fairly funded.
- SB 380-383, a package of legislation that would provide screening and intervention services for students showing characteristics of dyslexia, passes the state Senate after strong advocacy from ETM and its early literacy partners.
June
- MPEO continues sustained advocacy, including a letter to the state legislature and budget director, calling for investment in special education, English language learners, and full weighted funding for at-risk students.
July
- Following consistent advocacy by ETM and coalition partners, the state budget passes with unprecedented increases in funding for at-risk students, special education programs, and English language learning. The budget provides the full 11.5% weighted funding for at-risk students, or an additional $1,052 per student.
2023
ETM and the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO) coalition continue to prioritize equitable funding in education and efforts to improve early literacy interventions. The coalition’s efforts culminate with a historic victory when Michigan makes history by joining the nation’s first ten states with state school funding formulas that include an index for concentrations of poverty, among states with similar funding systems.
January
- ETM’s “2023 State of Michigan Education Report: Beyond the Pandemic” report emphasized the state’s longstanding inequalities and how they were compounded further over the last three years as students, families, educators, and communities faced unprecedented educational challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ETM Executive Director Amber Arellano testifies alongside Alice Thompson, chair of the education committee for the NAACP Detroit branch – and one of the three tri-chairs of the MPEO statewide coalition –before the state Senate PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee on the need for a fair and equitable school funding system.
March
- Teachers from the Michigan Teacher Leadership Collaborative, a partnership between ETM and Teach Plus, engage in a day of advocacy hosted by the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) in Lansing.
April
- Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity MPEO members join forces in Lansing for a day of advocacy. Their efforts opened doors to inspiring conversations with policymakers, while helping to build their knowledge about strategies that leading states practice to close opportunity gaps for students, including students of color, English learners, students with disabilities, students living in concentrated poverty and rural areas, and students from low-income backgrounds.
May
- Michigan Senate joined the State House in unveiling historic budget proposals. For the first time in Michigan’s history, state Senate leaders proposed to create a much fairer school funding formula while making significant investments in public education.
June
September
- For Hispanic Heritage Month, ETM featured members from the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity and the incredible work they do for students and education equity.
October
- At the Opportunity for All: A Celebration of a Historic Win and Next Steps for Fair Funding for All, more than 60 education equity advocates – including local elected leaders, state officials, educators, civil rights leaders, civic and business leaders, supporters and partners – joined together to celebrate a historic school funding win at Detroit’s historic Fellowship Chapel.
