LANSING – They stood in a row for a photo, but quickly realized the line was too long. They made two lines, they scrunched together, they smiled, and the cameras clicked.

A small collaboration, but possibly symbolic.

Thirty-four groups, ranging from business associations to teacher unions to charter school advocates, met for the first time Wednesday in Lansing with a common goal: improving Michigan’s struggling public schools. The diverse organizations, some typically on opposing sides of issues, promised to work together to improve education in the state.

The joint effort, called Launch Michigan, is lauded as the most ambitious collaboration of philanthropy, education, labor, business and community leaders in the long, stumbling history of education reform in the state.

Source: Groups join hands to fix Michigan schools. Will it make a difference? | Bridge Magazine