Every Michigan student deserves access to an excellent education that prepares them for success in school, college, and beyond. But what will it take for Michigan to become a national leader in educational excellence and equity?

EdTrust-Midwest’s latest State of Michigan Education Report, Going for Gold: Setting the Standard for Michigan Achievement, examines the progress Michigan has made, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities ahead to build a stronger, more equitable public education system.

Through an analysis of 23 measures across five key indicators: academic outcomes, college readiness and success, student well-being, opportunity to learn, and fair funding. This new report provides a comprehensive look at where Michigan stands and what it will take to ensure every student can thrive.

Where Michigan Stands

Michigan has made meaningful progress in recent years, including improving high school graduation rates, expanding college affordability, and increasing investments in public education. Despite recent improvements, significant challenges remain:

• Only 38.2% of Michigan third graders are proficient in reading, and just 33.3% of seventh graders are proficient in math
• Dual enrollment participation remains below 10%
• Michigan’s chronic absenteeism remains too high
• Schools average approximately 565 students per counselor, more than double the recommended ratio
• Michigan’s teacher workforce does not reflect the racial diversity of its students: students of color made up 38% of the student population, but teachers of color only made up 13% of the teacher workforce
• Districts serving the highest concentrations of students from low-income backgrounds receive approximately $1,728 less per pupil than districts serving the lowest concentrations

These findings underscore the urgent need to accelerate progress, close longstanding opportunity gaps, and ensure that students from underserved communities have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.

The Path to Gold

As Michigan prepares for a new chapter in state leadership, this report outlines five policy priorities to move the state closer to becoming a national leader in educational opportunity and achievement:

1. Protect and sustain fair funding investments in public education
2. Strengthen evidence-based efforts to improve literacy
3. Create supportive and well-staffed school environments
4. Build equitable pathways to postsecondary opportunity
5. Make transparency and accountability a governing principle

Michigan has laid important groundwork for progress. Now, state leaders must build on those investments, raise expectations, and take meaningful action to ensure educational opportunity is not determined by a student’s race, income, background, or ZIP code.

Going for gold means setting a higher standard for every Michigan student and making the commitment necessary to achieve it.

Explore the Report

Read Going for Gold: Setting the Standard for Michigan Achievement to explore the findings, examine Michigan’s progress across the five indicators, and learn more about the policy solutions needed to create a brighter future for all students.

Download the Report (PDF)