Legislature Finishes K-12 Budget for 2026-27
After another of the late-night scrambles that have come to typify the budget process in Lansing, the Michigan Legislature has adopted the 2026-27 School Aid budget. The final budget takes a significant step forward in terms of both structure and investment toward a true weighted student funding model, provides a modest 2.5% foundation increase, and improves funding stability for districts facing declining enrollment. However, these positives are undercut by a massive expansion…
Path to Leadership (PTL) CAEP Accreditation Update: Post-Site Visit Milestone Reached!
We are thrilled to share a major update regarding Michigan’s premier alternative route to PK-12 administrator certification. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) site visit team has officially concluded their formal, multi-day evaluation of MASSP’s Path to Leadership (PTL) program. Surviving a national accreditation site visit is no small feat, and we are incredibly proud of how our program, faculty, and candidates shone under the microscope. Here is a…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
Lansing gave school leaders another week of wheels-spinning-car-not-moving, as the House kept debating and advancing more education policy bills that may or may not have a future in the Senate while budget talks produced plenty of noise and finger-pointing, few clear (and often conflicting) signals on how much progress is actually being made in negotiations, and no measurable progress toward completing the state budget by the July 1 statutory deadline. The House…
Member Spotlight | If You See It, You Can Be It – This is What Can Happen when a Visual Learner Becomes a Principal
While sitting in an interview for an assistant principal candidate, Evan Winkler, Brandywine Middle/Senior High School Principal (then a phys ed, health teacher and coach), heard what the person up for the role was talking about and thought “I feel like that's what I love about teaching.” After seeing that same person be successful as an administrator, and with some encouragement from building leaders, Evan pursued his certification through MASSP’s Path to…
From Your Board | Principal Burden Leads with Love
Principal Burden fosters a culture of caring and non-negotiables through a blend of personal philosophy, daily routines and structured leadership frameworks. At the heart of his approach is a commitment to seeing the school as a "microcosm" of the world we want to live in. The "I Love You" Non-Negotiable The primary non-negotiable Principal Burden has established is a standard of unconditional care. Every morning, he greets both students and staff with…
EdCon 2026 | Meet Your Vendors!
Our Partners in Education Are Excited to Meet You! From innovative technology and curriculum solutions to leadership development, student programs, insurance, recognition products, and higher education opportunities, EdCon's 30 exhibitors offer resources to help you and your school succeed in 2026–27. Click on a company name below to learn more, watch a featured video (where available), and be sure to visit their exhibit booths on Tuesday and Wednesday to connect with representatives…
Leadership Lives Here: Finding Your Next Best Step Through MASSP
Every leader's journey begins somewhere. For some, it begins when a teacher, coach or mentor sees something in them they cannot yet see in themselves. For others, it begins when they are asked to lead a team, support a colleague, sponsor a student group or step into a role that stretches them beyond their comfort zone. The paths are different, but the questions are often the same. Am I ready? Can I…
Michigan High School PBA: What Principals and Athletic Directors Need to Know
As of January 2026, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (“MHSAA”) permits Michigan high school student-athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness through what it calls Personal Brand Activities (“PBAs”). While that change creates valuable opportunities for student athletes, it also introduces immediate compliance considerations for school leaders. PBAs and Limitations The MHSAA broadly defines a PBA as an arrangement in which a student-athlete promotes or endorses a product or…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
The House Education and Workforce Committee moved a substantial slate of education bills this week continuing the Legislature's ongoing focus on literacy instruction, reading interventions, and science of reading implementation, as lawmakers continue to debate additional policy in a space that has become Lansing's favorite education policy topic. The bills that moved this week include: HB 5044, which would require districts to allow students to receive private medically applied behavior analysis (ABA)…
What Matters?
If you haven't recently watched Disney's WALL-E, it is worth revisiting. The film presents a vision of humanity in surrender. Chased from earth by environmental collapse, humans in the movie are living in collective isolation on an automated cruise ship in space. Plugged into their devices and disconnected from the world, the passengers have ceded thought and decision-making to the intelligent robots with which they have surrounded themselves. This may sound like…