East Michigan News

Congressman John Moolenaar recently hosted a roundtable discussion at Pembrooke Academy in Detroit with Michigan charter school leaders and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The meeting focused on the current state of education in Michigan, addressing challenges such as learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and declining test scores in reading and math. Participants also discussed alternative education models available in Michigan, including public charter schools and homeschooling.

"Today, we had a productive conversation with charter school administrators on the role they play to improve the educational outcomes of students in our state. I believe when parents are given the power to choose the school that fits the needs of their students, they will make the right choice. I am grateful for Secretary McMahon's leadership at the Department of Education and her mission to return power in education to parents and the states," said Moolenaar.

In her opening remarks, Secretary McMahon said, "I have begun this tour because I want to see what best practices are around the country - to look at different kinds of schools: public, charter, private, religious schools, micro-schools. Just to see what these schools are teaching and how they're teaching it, and what success they're having, so that we can actually put together toolkits for other states."

She continued, "Because as we return education to the states, if those states aren't performing as well as others, or if they just generally want to look at the process that's going on in the country, I think it's going to be very helpful to say, this program is really working here. It's not a mandate for you to adopt it, because we're not giving mandates, but it is simply proven materials to show that the success has been had in many states with different programs."

Moolenaar was joined by Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce; Congressman Burgess Owens (R-UT); and serves as co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus alongside Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).

John Moolenaar has represented Michigan’s 2nd district in Congress since 2015 after replacing Dave Camp. He previously served both in Michigan’s House of Representatives from 2003–2008 and Senate from 2011–2014 (https://moolenaar.house.gov/about). Born in Midland in 1961 and now living in Caledonia at age 61 (https://moolenaar.house.gov/about/full-biography), he graduated from Hope College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983.