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Listen Tuesdays at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. on 90.5 WKAR-FMAccording to the Kids Count report of April 2018, 56% of third graders in Michigan are not proficient in English Language Arts. At the same time, some new public school teachers in Michigan are leaving the classroom because they do not earn enough money for a decent living. Virtual and charter schools are on the rise in Michigan. And in some communities there are breakthroughs in raising better readers.Covering education in Michigan is complex, but WKAR is committed to reporting on the problems, searching for solutions, and holding leaders accountable.Listen for Making The Grade in Michigan with WKAR education reporter Kevin Lavery every Tuesday at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. on 90.5 WKAR-FM's Morning Edition.

Behind "Making the Grade in Michigan"

Robin Pizzo
WKAR

Last month, WKAR received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for its series Making the Grade in Michigan.

WKAR has been honored with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Making the Grade in Michigan 2018, a weekly series examining early childhood literacy in a state where 56 percent of third graders are not proficient in English language arts. As a regional winner, the series is automatically entered for consideration for a National Murrow Award, which will be announced later this year.

“It’s a great honor to have our work recognized,” says WKAR’s Director of Education, Robin Pizzo. “I knew we were embarking on profound stories during our brainstorming sessions.”

Kevin Larvey
Credit WKAR

 

 

For WKAR Education Reporter Kevin Lavery, this is no time to rest on your laurels. “Many Michigan children face adversity in their home lives that carries over into the classroom. Simply shaking our fingers at a student’s poor academic performance without treating the ‘whole child’ is a disservice to our youth and will not build the future we hope for” explains Lavery. 

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