Written by: Matt Grossmann
Primary Source: Michigan Policy Wonk Blog, May 16, 2016
Our weekly round-up of policy-relevant reads and IPPSR-connected research.
Problems:
- Detroit students’ education take back seat in funding talks (link is external). IPPSR affiliate David Arsen comments on the extraordinary challenges Detroit faces, including teacher payroll shortages, deteriorating buildings, and overall shortcomings in quality of education.
- Michigan gets ‘F’ for tracking teachers (link is external). IPPSR affiliate Joshua Cowen comments on Michigan’s lack of an accountability system to track a teachers’ disciplinary history.
- Inland fisheries’ importance underrated, study says (link is external). IPPSR affiliate Eric Freedman authors this piece on Great Lakes fisheries’ importance as indicators of global food and economic security.
Policy:
- Why are Michigan’s roads crumbling? Economist says it’s because we collect less money to fix them (link is external). IPPSR affiliate Charley Ballard talks about Michigan’s infrastructure problems at Issues and Ale hosted by Michigan radio.
- Do school vouchers improve results? It depends on what we ask (link is external). Joshua Cowen, IPPSR affiliate, authored this article on school vouchers, which originally appeared at The Conversation.
- Sexy ideas won’t slow climate change if people don’t buy in and buy them (link is external). IPPSR affiliate Tom Dietz’s research on the challenges of implementing climate change-related policy is highlighted.
Politics:
- The ultimate reading list for understanding Donald Trump (link is external). IPPSR Director Matt Grossman’s research cited in this round-up of Trump-relevant reads.
- Flint’s Dr. Mona: Why didn’t Obama bring more resources to fix problem? (link is external) Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, whistleblower to the Flint Water Crisis and IPPSR Forum speaker, reacts to President Obama’s Flint visit.
- Matt Grossmann interview (link is external) on IPPSR, Michigan politics, and research at the Ballenger Report podcast.
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Matt Grossmann serves as the Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and Associate Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University. His research spans national and state policymaking, election campaigns, interest groups, and political parties. His current work explores key differences between major political parties and economic inequality in policy influence. He is the author of Artists of the Possible: Governing Networks and American Policy Change Since 1945, published by Oxford University Press in 2014 and The Not-So-Special Interests: Interest Groups, Public Representation, and American Governance, published by Stanford University Press in 2012. He is author of numerous journal articles on such topics as policy change, political party networks, the legislative process and public opinion. His research appears in the Journal of Politics, Policy Studies Journal, Perspectives on Politics, American Politics Research and other publications. He also writes for blogs and popular media. His roots are also deep in practical politics, especially in candidate training, policy and survey research. His experience includes work at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government, the Institute of Governmental Studies, the Center for Voting and Democracy and the Center for Democracy and Technology. A member of MSU’s faculty since 2007, he is founder and director of the Michigan Policy Network and served as liaison to MSU’s Washington Semester Program. He received his bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College, his master’s in political science in 2002 and doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2007. He became IPPSR director in January 2016.

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