Launch Michigan is a diverse alliance of education, labor, business and philanthropic organizations, and parents and civic leaders committed to establishing a shared agenda to ensure all Michigan students receive a best-in-class education. BLM is a founding member of the alliance, with President & CEO Doug Rothwell serving as one of three co-chairs.
On Dec. 18, 2019, the steering committee released its first phase of recommendations for policymakers to consider:
1. Create an Equity in Literacy Fund with an initial focus on literacy in grades K–3 at a minimum. Within this fund, enact multipliers for poverty and geographic isolation.
2. Hold all districts harmless so resources do not fall below current levels.
3. Create a district-driven strategic planning process to ensure that resources are able to be directed to where local schools determine they are experiencing the greatest need. The district plan must describe the evidence-based best practices that will be used to improve literacy, the expected results and metrics.
“As a coalition, we support a student-centered, weighted funding formula that allocates resources to children based on their unique needs and circumstances,” co-chair Doug Rothwell said. “We can’t hope to create a world-class educational system while we continue to underinvest in Michigan’s schools.”