Legalease September 2025 | Navigating Parent Opt Outs After Mahmoud v. Taylor
In recent years, parents unhappy with a school’s curricular decisions or policy choices have provided a multitude of “opt outs” on a number of bases. In June, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in Mahmoud v. Taylor and acknowledged a limited right to opt out of certain curriculum based on religious objections. In Mahmoud, the school district introduced a variety of LGBTQ+-inclusive storybooks into the elementary school curriculum, which presented topics…
Principal Pulse Check | We asked: What is one strategy you’re using to build positive staff culture as the school year kicks off?
Tomorrow is drive your tractor to school, so we are all wearing flannels and boots! As a Capturing Kids Hearts school, we start each meeting with "Good Things" so that people can share their wins, whether in school, home, family, etc. Builds a great sense of community, and allows us to celebrate each other. Monitoring enforcement of revised electronic device policy. Teachers see it and know we are all in this together.…
It’s Not Too Late to Join the Innovative Leaders Network—Kickoff Happens This Month!
Are you a school leader looking for a fresh, future-ready perspective on teaching and learning? There’s still time to join MASSP’s Innovative Leaders Network (ILN), and we’re kicking things off this month with a dynamic in-person experience in Lansing. ILN Year 1 Launch: In-Person Kickoff Date: September 24, 2025 Location: Lansing (MASSP Office) Time: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM (includes lunch) Who Should Attend: Principals, assistant principals, teacher leaders, and central office…
Michigan Transitions from ACT WorkKeys to WIN Work Readiness: What School Leaders Need to Know
Beginning in Spring 2026, Michigan schools will no longer administer the ACT WorkKeys as part of the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). Instead, students will take the WIN Work Readiness Assessments, developed by WIN Learning, a national provider of career readiness solutions. This transition marks a significant shift after two decades of ACT WorkKeys, and while many details are still emerging, school leaders can begin preparing now. The Structure of WIN Work Readiness…
MASSP Seeks Next Executive Director
The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) is searching for its next Executive Director to lead the organization into its next era of impact and innovation. MASSP, a 1,800-member strong nonprofit established in 1911, represents Michigan’s high school, career technical education, and middle-level principals and assistant principals. For more than a century, MASSP has been the premier educational association in the state—advancing school leadership, advocating for system-wide improvements, guiding curriculum, and…
New Assessment Replacing WorkKeys in the Michigan Merit Exam
Beginning in Spring 2026, Michigan schools will be administering a new work skills assessment as part of the Michigan Merit Exam (MME): the WIN Work Readiness Assessment. This assessment was recently selected through the state's competitive bidding process and will replace the ACT WorkKeys. This is the same sort of rebidding process that resulted in Michigan's switch from the ACT to the SAT as our statewide college entrance exam a decade ago.…
Leadership in Motion | Early Wins, Lasting Momentum: Shifting from Hustle to Leverage for a Strong, Sustainable Start to the Year
Opening Reflection August is already in the rearview mirror. The welcome-back breakfasts are finished, the to-do lists checked off, the PD slides clicked through. What remains now is something more enduring. The first-week buzz is settling (or already has), and the rhythm of the real work is taking hold. By now, you’ve answered a thousand questions, reset expectations, and reminded yourself once again that you can’t do it all. But here’s the…
Student Voice in Action | Start Early, Listen Often
Culture. The word we all throw around but rarely pin down. Everyone’s favorite catch-all, because it can mean everything … and sometimes nothing. We know it drives learning, behavior and the overall feel of a building. But it doesn’t come from motivational posters or quick-fix initiatives – it starts with the students who walk your halls every day. Instructional leadership is about more than data and curriculum; it’s about shaping an environment…
MDE Announces New State Superintendent of Public Instruction, MASSP Executive Director and Members React
As reported last week by the Michigan Department of Education, Dr. Glenn M. Maleyko has been selected to be Michigan’s next state superintendent. As the current superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, he works directly with many MASSP members and served on an EdCon panel in 2024. MASSP Executive Director Wendy Zdeb said she could not be happier with the State Board of Education's decision to name Dr. Maleyko as our next Superintendent…
New Course: Practical AI Tools for Building Leaders
School leadership has never been more complex, and time has never felt more limited. That’s why MASSP’s Digital Learning Network (DLN) is excited to launch a brand-new course designed just for building leaders: Practical AI Tools for Principals and Teacher Leaders. This 4 SCECH course is all about helping you make AI work for your daily practice. Across four engaging modules, you’ll explore how to streamline everyday tasks, sharpen your communication, and…