A new report is out ranking states on student performance. Michigan is near the bottom across the board.
The report was released today by The Education Trust-Midwest. In fourth grade reading, Michigan was 39th in the country in 2019. This year, it has dropped to 43rd, making it a bottom ten state. The report predicts Michigan will be there until at least 2030.
It’s no secret Michigan students have been falling behind for decades, but when you talk to a politician, they may say we are just going to put more money towards it, more tutoring, more resources. While the schools are very happy to get those resources, they say there’s a bigger problem afoot, something they can’t quite control
“It’s an all hands on board type of thing,” said Roger Cole, superintendent at Morley-Stanwood, “The schools need to do their part. I wouldn’t argue with you on that, we can always learn more, do better and instruct differently.”
While students across the country declined over the pandemic, Michigan students fell further behind, according to the report released this week.
Now in the bottom ten for 4th grade reading, especially in low income areas, and in the bottom half of states in 8th grade math.
“I don’t know why Michigan ranks where they are compared to others,” said Cole, “That’s a bigger fish bowl than I’ve looked into.”
In the recent budgets, Lansing has tried to fix it with more money per pupil.
“We need to see money, specifically dedicated to recruitment and retention,” said former state superintendent Michael Pugh in 2020.
“The money is to make sure that that funding is there to allow schools to adapt,” said former Sen. Wayne Schmidt that year.
“That’s our ultimate goal and we’re moving in that direction,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
More money is always welcome. Cole said they have used money to offer tutoring for students and it isn’t being used.
“There’s a half a dozen kids in there. There are hundreds of them that need to be in there and we have six,” said Cole, “I can offer a lot of different things to help catch kids up, when you fall behind it is immensely difficult to catch up and keep up.”
Cole, like many superintendents 9&10 News spoke with Tuesday, recognizes schools can do better but real change comes at home. Parents and guardians work to prepare their students and express the importance of school work.
“I think a lot of the solutions are in the home,” said Cole, “Kids are here six or seven hours a day. They are there for 18.”
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