Michigan's Education Ranking Plummets: Now 44th in the Nation

Michigan's education system continues to fall behind, now ranking a dismal 44th in the nation, according to the newly released 2025 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

This persistent decline is compounded by lagging student enrollment and consistently low test scores, raising significant concerns about the state of education for Michigan's children.

The annual Kids Count Data Book evaluates states across four key domains: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community.

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While Michigan holds an overall ranking of 33rd, its performance in education remains a critical weakness, dropping three spots from its 41st position in the previous year.

The report highlights several troubling trends within Michigan's education sector:

・ Preschool Enrollment: The percentage of young children (ages 3 and 4) not in school has worsened in Michigan, rising from 53% in 2014-18 to 56% in 2019-23. This contrasts with a national trend that also saw a slight increase, indicating a broader challenge in early childhood education access.

・ Reading Proficiency: A concerning 75% of Michigan's fourth graders were not proficient in reading in 2024, a significant jump from 68% in 2019. This mirrors a national decline, where 70% of fourth graders were not proficient in 2024, up from 66% in 2019.

・ Math Proficiency: Similarly, 76% of Michigan's eighth graders were not proficient in math in 2024, worsening from 69% in 2019. The national average also saw a decline, with 73% not proficient in 2024 compared to 67% in 2019.

・ High School Graduation: While the national rate for high school students not graduating on time slightly improved, Michigan's rate remained stagnant at 19% from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

・ Teens Not Engaged: The percentage of teens not in school and not working has also seen a negative shift in Michigan, increasing from 6% in 2019 to 7% in 2023, mirroring the national trend.

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Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as the "nation's report card," further corroborates these findings, showing Michigan fourth and eighth-graders continue to lag the national average in both reading and math.

Experts note that many students who began kindergarten during the pandemic are still struggling to catch up.

While Michigan has seen some positive movement in other areas of child well-being, such as a slight improvement in its economic well-being ranking and maintaining a relatively strong health ranking (22nd nationally, largely due to high health insurance coverage for children), the persistent slide in education poses a significant long-term threat to the state's future.

Looking ahead

In July 2024, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the $23 billion education budget for fiscal year 2025 that continues record investments in education, from preschool to postsecondary, and supports students and educators.

Highlights of the budget include:

・A guarantee to Michigan families of free, high-quality education beginning with pre-K

・A new record high for dollars into the classroom for the sixth year in a row

・Tuition guaranteed community college for every high school graduate

・Historic investment in teachers

“This balanced education budget—my sixth—makes record-breaking investments to support our students, invest in our schools, and empower our educators,” said Whitmer. “With access to free pre-K for all, record funding for students, free school meals, on-campus mental health resources, and tuition-free community college for every high school graduate, this budget will improve outcomes, lower costs, and strengthen our education system. Since I took office, I have been a strong advocate for lifelong public education, and this budget delivers on so many of the goals and policies I proposed in my State of the State address and executive budget recommendation. Let’s keep getting things done to make a real difference in our children’s lives so they are set up for a bright future right here in Michigan.”

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