Michigan Learning Channel Honored by State’s Top School Administrators
MAISA, the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, has named Detroit Public Television the winner of its 2021 MAISA Education Fellows Award for the station’s work to create and launch the Michigan Learning Channel (MLC).
This award is given each year to an individual or organization that, among other qualities, places service above self-interest, advocates for the programs and services of public education, has shown leadership in support of public education and has performed public service on behalf of MAISA, ISDs or K-12 education.
MAISA is comprised of superintendents and administrators of the Michigan’s Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), working with those educators to coordinate essential resources and services to facilitate teaching and learning for the state’s students.
Dr. William Miller, Executive Director of MAISA, had this to say about the tribute: “The MAISA Education Fellows Award is the highest annual recognition our association grants. The Michigan Learning Channel will return educational value for our children, parents and school staff, statewide, for years to come. It is a privilege to honor a team so dedicated to educating the children we strive to serve.”
Previous winners of the MAISA Education Fellows Award include educators, public officials, foundations and academics. Detroit Public TV is the first media company to receive this honor.
MAISA also played an important role in the success of the MLC, by assembling teams of curriculum experts to work with our staff to make sure the programming on the Michigan Learning Channel meets the highest standards of instruction and alignment with Michigan’s educational standards.
Developed in collaboration with teachers and education leaders throughout the state, the MLC offers standards-aligned content for families and teachers that supplement school-based instruction. This free programming is being broadcast via special on-air channels established by every public television station in Michigan. The programming and a rich collection of additional on-demand resources are also available via computers, cellular phones and other digital devices at MichiganLearning.org in order to ensure that the content is accessible to students, teachers and families statewide.
Increasingly, the MLC is featuring instructional content created and delivered by teachers and educational experts who are based in Michigan and understand the needs of state schools, families and students. An example is “Read, Write, ROAR!” – a reading and English Language Arts program for young readers in kindergarten through third grade produced in collaboration with MAISA and other educational authorities.
Similar efforts are under way to develop new programming in math, English Language Arts and other subjects.
Detroit Public TV will accept the MAISA Education Fellows Award at the organization’s annual conference in Houghton on June 24.