Report

K-12 Education Governance in Michigan

July 2025
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Youth Policy Lab, Education Policy Initiative, Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, Brian Jacob, Sarah Cohodes, Stephanie Leiser, Anna Erickson, Deb Hubbard, Katja Robinson, Natalie Fitzpatrick, Jasmina Camo-Biogradlija

This report presents the findings from a year-long study of K-12 educational governance in Michigan commissioned by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). The research was conducted by researchers and staff at the University of Michigan affiliated with the Youth Policy Lab, Education Policy Initiative, and the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. Throughout the study, MDE leadership offered input, while the UM research team independently determined the topics of inquiry, methods of analyses, and content of the report.  

The study focuses on four areas: 

  1. Distribution of authority across state entities and between state and local actors
  2. School district consolidation
  3. School choice
  4. Education finance 
a teacher giving whole class instructions with three students by her side in an elementary classroom

Key findings

  1. AUTHORITY: Provide the governor greater authority to shape K-12 education policy and restructure the State Board of Education. Michigan should move toward a system in which the governor has greater authority while, at the same time, maintaining some guardrails to prevent partisan politics from undermining educational outcomes.
  2. AUTHORITY: Increase capacity at the Michigan Department of Education. The state should increase the capacity of MDE and other state education entities to provide guidance and support to local districts.
  3. AUTHORITY: Restructure ISDS to play a larger and more standardized role in Michigan's education system. The large number of school districts in Michigan complicates communication and coordination between state officials and local education leaders. ISDs can bridge the divide between MDE and LEAs.
  4. AUTHORITY: Develop and implement a coordinated and well-funded state-level approach to improving academic performance in key areas such as early literacy and numeracy. Michigan should follow the lead of several other states that have mounted successful state-led initiatives to improve student performance in literacy and numeracy.
  5. CONSOLIDATION: Provide support and incentives for local districts to realize cost savings through service sharing. Research suggests that consolidation of small school districts rarely leads to substantial cost savings, but service sharing among districts offers meaningful benefits.
  6. SCHOOL CHOICE: Fine-tune the current system of school choice so that it works better for all students. While charter schools and the inter-district schools of choice in Michigan are broadly popular and appear to be working well for many students, there are many ways to increase the likelihood that the system can benefit all students and LEAs.
  7. FINANCE: Ensure adequate funding and reduce funding disparities in key areas. There is substantial evidence that school spending positively impacts academic achievement and attainment. Michigan must invest in its schools, adequately and with equity, if the state is to achieve better educational outcomes.
  8. FINANCE: Reduce administrative burden on districts associated with funding. The state should lessen the administrative burden on local districts and MDE by reducing its reliance on categorical funding.
  9. FINANCE: Invest in teachers. The state could implement several measures to attract and retain high-quality teachers to better serve Michigan’s children.

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