On Friday, Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm received an award for national education policy leader. The thing that makes it sad for her though, is that several of the programs she was recognized for are getting cut, including the Michigan Promise Grant college scholarships. You can read more about it on the Chicago Tribune site. This has been a state of many across the country that have been dealing with school budget cuts recently.
B. Keith Fulton, president of Verizon West Virginia also received an award, the Friend of Education Award, given by the National Association of State Boards of Education. It’s an award given to those who have given significant contributions to education, despite working outside the policy. Recently he’s been working together with the board and the superintendent to create an online learning system using grants. You can read more about it at weblogic’s site here.
I think it’s great that the board groups are giving recognition to those that are helping to improve technology for children in schools, as so many schools have limited funds and can’t afford to update the technology they have available. And since the world is relying more heavily on technology these days, it’s important for children to learn about it. Also, I hope some of the programs in Michigan gain more funding sometime soon, especially the scholarship program. But I do like the idea of the No Worker Left Behind program that helps pay tuition for those that were recently laid off, as well as the “Promise Zones” that are in different communities that raise money for scholarships for low-income students. It’s great that the board of education in Michigan recognize the people in the city and surrounding towns need help.
