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A vision for how to make school choice work better in Detroit

Dan Varner went to law school, dreaming he could change the world. When he got out, he got a job at a firm that handled class-action discrimination lawsuits. "Got what I thought was a great job at a...

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Offering a place to call home when home isn't an option

Rosslyn Bliss leads the way across a boardwalk on a five-acre piece of land on the north side of Grand Rapids to a one-story light-brown building. This building is an emergency shelter for kids who’ve...

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One way to avoid tears on the first day of kindergarten

A little before 9 a.m. Monday, it’s time to clean up the morning work in the KinderCamp classroom at MLK Leadership Academy in Grand Rapids.The free, week-long program is happening at four schools in...

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11 years before Ferguson, there was outrage in Benton Harbor. Have things...

It’s not a new story:A young black man dies after an encounter with police. A community takes to the streets to demand answers. Their protest turns violent, and the national media takes notice. When...

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When you want to play, but you have dreams that require work

On the last lazy Sunday of summer, Musa lies down on the living room floor to play with his cat Romeo. Later today there will be shopping for school clothes, and maybe some time to play. But for now,...

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"I want people to not be afraid to reach out and help someone else."

People who manage to overcome poverty in childhood don't succeed by accident. They work hard, of course, but usually, they also have some help.  And often, that help can be traced back to one person...

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Teaching black kids about the police: "They have legal authority to kill you."

The gymnasium at the Baxter Community Center in Grand Rapids started filling up a little before six Monday night. Dinner was provided. Parents and kids loaded up Styrofoam plates, then sat down with...

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How Daniel Lopez learned to stop fearing the worst, and started planning for...

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.We’ve all heard the saying. But for young people who come to the United States as immigrants, getting to know people can be a challenge.Language barriers,...

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Finding Home, a documentary about foster care [transcript + audio]

    What does it feel like to be removed from you parents’ home? From the ones who were supposed to protect you and keep you safe?PART ONEI want to introduce you to a set of siblings. Let’s start with...

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The story of an unaccompanied minor, 7 years later

This spring, a wave of children showed up at the southern border of the United States, with no adult to care for them. The children were labeled “unaccompanied minors.”The number of unaccompanied...

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Here's what Michigan is doing to reduce the rate of broken adoptions for...

The goal for children in foster care is to find them permanent homes. If they can’t live with their birth parents, the next best thing might be adoption. But the road to adoption can be bumpy, and for...

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The devastating rate of suicide among American Indian teens

Suicide is a major public health problem for American Indians. The suicide rate for American Indian teenagers in particular is 2.5 times higher than the national average. I took a trip over the summer...

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Google opens Howard University campus in Silicon Valley to boost diversity

The tech industry has a diversity problem. In 2014, Hispanics made up only 4.4% of the professional-level workforce at the headquarters and local branches of the top 75 Silicon Valley tech firms,...

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Hunger in the first few years of life has lasting effects on academic...

Children who experience hunger may lag developmentally behind their peers starting as early as kindergarten. That's according to a new study published in the journal Child Development . Study authors...

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Living in a violent neighborhood can give you PTSD, study suggests

Our experiences shape who we are. Here at State of Opportunity , we've talked extensively about how Adverse Childhood Experiences— or ACEs —can affect a child throughout their lives. But new research...

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Muskegon Heights students on possible closure: "We are not a failing school."

Students in Muskegon Heights are very familiar with uncertainty. They’ve been threatened with school closure many times over the past several years—first because of finances, now because of failing...

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Access to arts and culture may improve outcomes in low-income communities

Exposure to the arts improves a child's lifelong outcomes . Arts education increases the likelihood of graduating from high school; attending and finishing college; and makes students more likely to...

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Black students are more likely to graduate if they have at least one black...

Who did you most admire when you were a kid? Maybe it was your parent. Or a teacher. Or your favorite TV or movie star. Role models , both positive and negative, help shape how children behave in...

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"We're going to be separated from my dad." A family's final days together...

President Donald Trump said he wanted to go after “bad hombres,” but his immigration policies affect more than just those who are here and have committed crimes. Undocumented immigrants with no...

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Delayed kindergarten offers short-term benefits, study suggests

My husband and I will be sending our youngest daughter off to kindergarten this fall. I must admit, I'm nervous, but she turns five in July and we feel like she's ready for a structured learning...

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