Dear MAISA Member,

I want to emphasize the critical importance of prioritizing your well-being this summer by taking time to recharge and focus on your health. Stepping away from your daily routine allows you to return with renewed energy, creativity, and resilience, which is essential for both your personal goals and our collective success. Remember, investing in your health isn't a luxury; it's a necessity that empowers you to be your best self in all aspects of life.

My Three Things:

1. Thank you! I want to start with a thank you! We are starting a new year, yet I hope all of you take your successes and start to think of the possibilities. I have prided myself on always focusing on the assets. 
2. Budget – We continue to monitor. As of now, everything is moving very slowly. Please review my recent note with the attachment that includes talking points. We are also monitoring the federal level. Thank you for your ongoing advocacy.
3. Opportunities – Here is your chance to provide your voice in enhancing our work. Please consider getting involved or key staff members of your staff. 

A. Elevate and celebrate the amazing work of our SEILN/GELN members! Dyslexia Law guidance (PA 146) and 35a Literacy Impact Data demonstrate an amazing focus on developing tools and celebrating the work that is happening across Michigan. “A direct correlation between teachers engaged in an intentional coaching cycle with a 35a literacy coach and the subsequent increase in student outcomes in those classrooms! 

B. Consider participating in the Michigan Assessment Consortium professional development opportunity designed just for ISD and ESA Consultants. 

C. Volunteer in a Feasibility Study (Online) that will investigate the possibilities of a statewide data solution for standardizing IRIPs and Literacy Coaching data systems + connecting with dyslexia laws. 

D. Lift your voice in a 10-minute AI Survey led by the AI Statewide Workgroup and Michigan’s Virtual AI Lab. Your input will help this group align future supports and identify challenges that the team can support in the field. 

We are better together, 

j

• 2025 MAISA Education Fellows Award
• 2025 Monkey Wrench Award
• Early Childhood Administrative Network (ECAN): Parent Workshops: Supporting Families in our Community
• MISEN FY 2025 Annual Report
• K-12 Literacy Update: PA146: New Dyslexia Law
• 35a Literacy Impact Data
• Boost Regional Capacity for Balanced Assessment
• MiRead and MiCoachCompass Feasibility Studies Online Focus Groups
• K-12 Educator AI Integration Survey

Note: Please be sure to click "View entire message" at the bottom of this email to view the full newsletter!

Previous InSiDe Updates

Want to view the previous edition of the InSiDe Update? Click here to view the May 2025 edition.

John Severson, MAISA Executive Director and Thomas Howell, CEPI Executive Director (pictured)

On June 18, 2025, MAISA presented Thomas Howell, Executive Director of the Center for Educational Performance & Information (CEPI), with the 2025 MAISA Education Fellows Award.

The award recognizes Howell's transformative contributions to Michigan's educational landscape, particularly his work in data standardization, integration, and collaboration through projects like MI School Data, the Michigan Data Hub, and the Michigan Education Research Institute.

Howell was also honored for his leadership on K-12 statewide data systems advisories, collaboration with key K-12 associations, and his commitment to enabling districts to achieve efficiencies and savings through strategic alignment of state data systems.

His efforts have led to $52,000,000 in annual ROI for Michigan schools through the DataHub. Howell led Michigan Data Hub and CEPI teams who are currently modernizing legacy systems to enhance data quality and streamline reporting. 

The award celebrates his dedication to state data governance and his role in making educational data more accessible to all stakeholders.

View the full document here.

View the full document here.

Under the direction of MAISA, the joint GELN/SEILN workgroup began planning soon after the Governor signed PA146 into law and has created resources to help ISDs unpack the new requirements. 

The timeline and crosswalk have received final approval and will be posted on the MAISA webpage in August. MAISA members and network members will be notified when the documents are ready to be shared with the field.

The Professional Learning Planning and Implementation Document and the Slide Deck to support ISDs are in the works. We anticipate the resources being ready for feedback in September and finalized for rollout on the MAISA website late this fall.

MAISA recognizes and praises the dedication of the Dyslexia Workgroup, who have gone above and beyond to create clear, usable resources to support ISDs and LEAs in the implementation of PA146.

At the MAISA Summer Conference held June 18-20 in Frankenmuth, superintendents had the opportunity to see data highlighting the impact of literacy coaching across our state. The 35a Literacy Impact document shows a statewide picture for the first time, and a direct correlation between teachers engaged in an intentional coaching cycle with a 35a literacy coach and the subsequent increase in student outcomes in those classrooms.  

MAISA celebrates the commitment of our ISDs through GELN to submit your ISD data in order to make this document a reality.

The impact document was shared with Dr. Rice, Dr. Carnell, and the Governor's Office at the Summer Conference.

We encourage you to share the 35a Literacy Impact document with your own stakeholders to help elevate this message further as we advocate for the impact of our work to improve literacy outcomes for students and the importance of continued investment in 35a.

View the full document here.

Dear Principals, Coaches, and Teachers,

We are asking for a little help from our friends because we are Better Together!

I hope this message finds you well. We are excited to invite you to participate in a series of short, confidential, online focus groups as part of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) MiRead and MiCoachCompass Feasibility Studies conducted on behalf of our ISDs. This study, sponsored by Tuscola ISD, is designed to investigate interest in an ISD-level, statewide data solution for standardizing Individual Reading Improvement Plans (IRIPs) and Literacy Coaching data systems. Because of the unique position you hold, your insights and expertise are invaluable as we explore the feasibility and potential benefits of these tools.

We are in need of a rapid response due to the tight timeline for our ISDs to post this study by the end of September and for future presentations. This study is in anticipation of full implementation of PA 146, the K-12 literacy and dyslexia laws. By posting these studies, all of our Michigan educational entities can reference them when they apply for implementation grants and legislative asks as required by the MDE. 

Purpose of the Focus Groups:

These focus groups aim to gather comprehensive input on:

• Current practices and challenges in each area,
• Opportunities for improvement,
• Potential benefits and risks,
• Indicators for optimal opportunities to collaborate,
• Potential barriers to implementation.

All conversations will be anonymized through transcription and coding by our research team.

Why Your Participation Matters:

Your expertise will provide critical insights that shape the future of these services across ISDs supported by MAISA. By sharing your experiences, challenges, and ideas, you will help us identify effective practices and create more efficient solutions for our educational institutions.

Focus Group Dates and Times:

Aug 6, 2025

• 8:30-10:00-MiRead and MiCoachCompass Focus Group Teachers and Coaches

Aug 6, 2025

• 12:30-2:00-MiRead and MiCoachCompass Focus Group Teachers and Coaches Principals

Aug 7, 2025

• 8:30-10:00 MiRead and MiCoachCompass Focus Group Principals

Aug 7, 2025

• 12:30-2:00 MiRead and MiCoachCompass Focus Group Principals

Location: Online (a link to the virtual meeting platform will be provided upon confirmation)

Duration: Approximately 60-90 minutes per session

Capacity: Should registration maximums be reached additional sessions will be scheduled. If you would prefer to conduct a 1:1 interview please email me at abrauer@gomaisa.org to coordinate schedules.

How to Participate:

Please confirm your participation by selecting the appropriate registration links above. We encourage you to join as many of the focus group topics in which you have interest. We would also ask that you forward and encourage your colleagues to register as well, for the greater the input the more representative the data collection will be.         

                                                                                                                                                               Agenda for Each Focus Group:

1. Welcome and Introduction: Overview of the focus group objectives and agenda.
2. Confidentiality Agreement: Explanation of how data will be anonymized and aggregated.
3. Current State: Discussion on existing practices and challenges.
4. Opportunities for Growth: Exploration of potential benefits of a statewide data system for IRIPs and Coaching.
5. Aspirations: Identifying key requirements for a successful statewide data system for IRIPs and Coaching.
6. Open Discussion and Q&A: Opportunity for participants to share additional insights and ask questions.
7. Summary and Next Steps: Recap of key points and outline of the next steps in the feasibility study process.
8. Invitation to Tell Your Story: Open invitation to schedule 1:1 interviews to provide vignettes that tell the stories of successful data systems for IRIPs and Literacy Coaching as well as the need to create new solutions across Michigan.
9. We look forward to your participation and valuable contributions to these important discussions. Should you have further questions or ideas for us, do not hesitate to contact me at abrauer@gomaisa.org. 

Thank you for considering this invitation.

Best regards,

Amy Brauer

Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators

ECAN Director and ELPL PreK Coordinator

abrauer@gomaisa.org

269-251-1882

MAISA is proud to partner with over a dozen leading education groups across Michigan to launch the second annual K-12 Educator AI Integration Survey.

This collaborative initiative, led by the AI Statewide Workgroup and Michigan Virtual's AI Lab, seeks to understand how AI is currently being used in our schools, identify challenges educators face, and determine professional development needs. Your anonymous responses will help shape ethical AI supports for all Michigan schools.  

The survey takes about 10 minutes and will close on July 11, 2025.

Survey Link: https://mivu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ag6ZptoczL7thfU?Org=MAISA

Visit the MAISA Event Site to view monthly calendars and upcoming meetings and events.