On January 20th 2017, the Consul of Italy, Dr. Maria Luisa Lapresa, met with Brian J. Whiston, Superintended of Education for the State of Michigan for the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding designed to facilitate the promotion of the Italian language in K-12 schools in Michigan.
The official document, believed to be the first of its kind between the Italian government and a Department of Education of a State in U.S.A., will allow individuals with a degree from an Italian University to teach in K-12 schools in Michigan by receiving a temporary teaching permit from the Office of Certification in Lansing.
This important milestone, which is designed to address the possible imminent need for certified and qualified teachers of the Italian language, was made possible thanks to the efforts and numerous meetings and discussions between Consul Lapresa, Superintendent Whiston and his staff of the Department of Education in Lansing, members of the Osservatorio, Franco Iaderosa and Lia Adelfi and past Representative Anthony Forlini.
