Michigan Matters: Mackinac Focus and the State of Education
Southfield (CBS Detroit) - Improving education was the hot topic on the CBS 62 MICHIGAN MATTERS roundtable as Ric DeVore, Tonya Allen and James Lentini appeared with Senior Producer/Host Carol Cain to debate how best to accomplish that.
Students are struggling as more districts are confronting issues including falling reading, science and math scores which is finding young people in Michigan behind counterparts in other states.
DeVore, regional president for Detroit and Southeastern Michigan for PNC, also mentioned a new program the bank is supporting along with The Kresge Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which will provide $2.5 million in joint grants to support improvements in early childhood education facilities in Detroit neighborhoods in an expansion of the three-year-old Learning Spaces program. The announcement of the program was originally made at the Detroit Regional Chamber's recent Mackinac Conference.
Allen, President & CEO of the Skillman Foundation, discussed how students in Detroit are faring and also funding for education and teachers in Michigan.
Lentini, Provost at Oakland University, shared the latest after surprising news Marygrove College in Detroit would close and how OU is working to help current students there complete their studies at OU.
The panel talked about the importance of family business to the region. CBS 62 just won an Emmy for its "Eye on the Future: The Power of Family Business" special. Cain and Paul Pytlowany, CBS 62 Production Manager, teamed up on it.
Then, Cain and Pytlowany continued the conversation from the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Conference where they traveled north to talk to leaders:
* Nancy Moody, Vice President of Public Affairs at DTE Energy, discussed the upcoming census in 2020 and why it matters so much for Detroit and the region.
*Robert Gordon, Director, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, who is new to the job and attended his first Mackinac Conference, talked about what he considers the most pressing issue before the state from his perch.
*MDOT Director Paul Ajegba talked about the need to fix the region's crumbling roads and infrastructure.
*Nancy Kaffer, Columnist, Detroit Free Press, discussed civility in politics and getting things done in Lansing and prospects for a fix to the state's infrastructure.
* Eric Morris, Michigan Practice Group Leader of HNTB, shed insights from efforts to fix roads in other states and how it might translate in Michigan.
*Rep. Haley Stevens, D, 11th District, talked about the importance of manufacturing and Michigan and what she is doing in Washington to help.
* Doug North, Chair, 2020 NAIAS discussed the upcoming show which moves to June in 2020.
* Trevor Pawl , Group Vice President, Planet M, discussed mobility's imprint on the region and a new contest intended to lure more creative ideas involving mobility.
*U.S. Sen Debbie Stabenow discussed the environment, mental health and more.
*U.S. Sen Gary Peters, who is up for re-election next year, discussed the 2020 presidential election and Michigan's role.
*Peter Provenzano, Chancellor, Oakland Community College, talked about helping people continue to learn new skills.
Watch MICHIGAN MATTERS Sunday at 11:30am on CBS 62