MICHIGAN’S EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

History

Parents now have more choices than ever in the state of Michigan. This opportunity comes from more than 20 years of the charter public school movement that was led by Governor John Engler.

“It was clear from all the reading I’d done, all the conversations I’d had with leaders in business, that education was becoming the defining difference among the states.”

– Governor John Engler

For an in-depth look at the formative years of the charter school movement in Michigan, the Center published “15 Years of Transforming Public Education.”

Current Environment

School choice, especially choice to attend a charter public school, is popular in Michigan. Currently, 9.6% of Michigan students attend a charter public school and an additional 7.6% of Michigan students utilize school choice and attend a school outside of their assigned school. In addition, Flint has the second highest percentage of students attending charter public schools in the nation and Detroit has the third highest in the nation.

Funding in Michigan

Since charter public schools are public schools, they receive state school aid funding. This means that they receive their funding per pupil instead of by school. They are not permitted to levy millages or issue bonds for capital projects, so they typically must seek loans, gifts or grants to develop and support their facility costs.

State Leadership

Michigan has two main statewide organizations that serve as advocates for charter public schools. The Michigan Association of Public School Academies and the Michigan Council of Charter School Authorizers serve the charter community in advancing school choice in the state.