Improving Michigan education: Full responses from major gubernatorial candidates

Bridge Michigan asked each major candidate for governor two questions:

What are at least two things you believe are causes for poor academic performance in Michigan schools?

How would you improve early literacy in Michigan that is different from what is now being done?

Here are their full, unedited responses. 

List at least two things you believe are causes for poor academic performance in Michigan schools. Please be as specific as possible.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Democrat

As a mom, educator, daughter of two special education teachers, and Detroit resident, I’ve seen first hand how decades of disinvestment and an antiquated one-size-fits all funding model, along with a lack of consistent education goals and standards, combine to create a public education system that is rife with inequities and is not preparing our kids for successful and thriving careers.   

Funding. For decades Michigan’s leaders have taken money intended for schools and used it for unrelated things - as a result, the total allocation of funds for K-12 education has decreased at a higher rate in Michigan than in the rest of the country. At the same time our state maintains an antiquated one-size-fits-all funding model that prioritizes equal funding over equitable funding. This is ineffective because - as every parent knows - no two children are alike and some students require more financial support for their learning than others. A child in Grand Rapids has very different needs than a child in Alpena. In addition, schools have insufficient resources to provide for special education, low salaries, almost nonexistent career growth support for educators, and many school districts don't have access to apprenticeship opportunities or dual enrollment for high schoolers.  We need more fiscal transparency and accountability measures for school districts to fix major problems in our education system. 

Lack of Rigorous Graduation Requirements or Standards. I ran Wayne State Law School with one goal: to prepare all of our students for the well paying jobs of tomorrow. That meant establishing broad but delineable and consistent graduation requirements that every student would be expected to meet prior to graduation. Conversely, Michigan’s non-competitive K-12 policies and statewide graduation standards make it impossible to prepare Michigan’s next generation to thrive in our economy.  Michigan must adopt a clear, rigorous, comprehensive college and career readiness expectation that every K-12 school can utilize to establish a foundation that is to be part of each student’s graduation requirements. One suggested measure is to adopt a globally-competitive college and career education standard that is tied to students graduating from high school.  Such a standard is broad enough to encompass the varying needs of individuals and schools while also prioritizing the need for all students to develop skills - from academics and career preparation to digital literacy and financial health - that will serve them regardless of what 21st century post secondary pathway they choose. Consistent skill expectations enable educators to connect learning to real careers through hands-on projects, internships, and unique programs that empower each student to build their own pathway to thrive.

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, Republican

1. No leadership and low expectations: We do not demand enough from our schools. To put it differently, for far too long, school leaders have underperformed because of low expectations.

2. No fundamentals: Too many school districts have abandoned fundamentals like phonics-based reading, which has led to dramatic improvements in Mississippi and other historically underperforming states, such that they now outperform Michigan in educational outcomes.

3. No transparency: Governor Whitmer and the Legislature in 2023 repealed the public act that required the grading of local schools. In life, whatever you measure improves, whether it is your weight, your financial portfolio, or local school performance. We need to bring back grading our schools. In a similar vein, we need more transparency on truancy, local school grades, and curricula. If the Uber app can tell me how far away my driver is, her rating, and her car license plate, why can’t we require each public school system to develop similar apps to help keep parents abreast of what’s going on in their kids’ schools?

4. Diminishing parental choice: Currently, Governor Whitmer and the Senate are attempting to defund school choice through a number of funding mechanisms. School choice not only provides more choice for parents and children but also requires public schools to improve through competition.

5. Truancy: Depending on the measure, Michigan schools are the fourth or fifth worst schools for truancy in America. If a child is not in school, they cannot learn. Studies tell us that truancy is the best indicator of future incarceration and dropout rates. Studies also tell us that trends start early, both in the school year (in September) and in a child’s school career (kindergarten and first grade), so we need early intervention to turn this around.

More generally, Michigan’s public schools face a critical challenge, with academic outcomes failing to match our significant investment of nearly $14,000 per student annually. Michigan ranks the 5th highest state in the Nation in terms of the amount of its state budget spent on public education, yet only 40 percent of our 3rd graders read proficiently, and math scores are equally troubling, placing Michigan in the bottom third nationally on NAEP assessments. Money is not the issue.

From Day One, I’ll prioritize transformative reforms to reverse this trend, focusing on core academics—reading and math—over non-essential initiatives like DEI programs, which have diverted resources from foundational skills. We must empower parents with universal school choice, ensuring no child is trapped in underperforming schools, and demand transparency through clear, accessible data on curricula and school performance. Nine of the ten fastest-growing states offer universal education freedom, and Michigan must follow suit to let every child thrive.

My granddaughters go to school in Hernando, Mississippi, and get a better education than the kids in my neighborhood in Livonia, Michigan.

Mississippi’s remarkable turnaround provides a blueprint. Once near the bottom, it now ranks in the top 20 for 4th-grade reading, driven by its 2013 Literacy-Based Promotion Act. This law mandated phonics-based curricula, early screening, and teacher training, with only 22 percent of gains tied to 3rd-grade retention. The rest came from literacy coaches, parent engagement, and evidence-based instruction. Michigan can adopt similar strategies: mandate science-of-reading curricula, make LETRS training mandatory for K-5 teachers (building on the 3,600 already trained), and reinstate a rigorous A-F school grading system for accountability. Expanding school choice through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), with strong oversight to ensure quality, will empower parents. Michigan’s recent funding increases are a step forward, but without structural reforms—prioritizing ABCs, enforcing accountability, and engaging parents—money alone won’t deliver results.

Further, I would work with schoolteachers and administrators to reduce the number of rules and standardized tests imposed on students. I am for less regulation in state government and in our schools. I would work to reduce the number of tests and rules in exchange for a greater focus on “teaching our children to read so they can then read to learn.” Put differently, we should have a laser-like focus on getting our kids to learn the fundamentals with real consequences for those schools and administrators (such as firing and school closures) in exchange for more freedom for teachers and schools to achieve real results.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Independent 

a. The biggest challenge facing Michigan schools is the uncertainty and instability created by the toxic partisanship in Lansing. We’re seeing it play out right now. Michigan school leaders are preparing for the school year with no school aid budget because Lansing politicians can’t come to an agreement. District leaders shouldn’t have to guess when it comes to their budget. Our schools have become political footballs and our children are paying the price. Standards that should be consistent get changed again and again. The changes are leading to unclear standards for district leaders and educators. Our education system will continue to suffer until we set clear standards that don’t change every time a new party gets the majority, and provide the necessary funding to drive student performance and growth. 

b. My education plan will provide Michigan schools with the long term plan they need to succeed. We’ll invest $4.5 billion into our school districts without raising taxes—by cutting state spending by 2%. We’ll work in collaboration with educators to develop an accountability system that actually works and we’ll leave it in place for 5 years, protecting our schools and children from the political instability that’s done so much damage. 

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Democrat 

Gilchrist did not respond directly to Bridge’s questions. See below for his full statement. 

US Rep. John James, Republican

James did not respond directly to Bridge’s questions. See below for his campaign’s full statement. 

Former House Speaker Tom Leonard, Republican

Michigan is facing an education crisis. Once a national leader, our state now ranks among the bottom ten in the nation for early reading and math. Less than 40% of our state’s third graders can read proficiently. Teacher recruitment and retention is a problem, and morale amongst our educators is down. Despite spending more on K–12 education than ever before, student achievement continues to decline.

This crisis isn’t about money, it’s about misaligned priorities, weak accountability, and a governance system that no longer serves families or students effectively. At the heart of the issue is a lack of performance-based policy, ineffective oversight, and a failure to focus on foundational academic achievement.

There are several contributing factors, which include:

1. A lack of leadership to implement effective policies to address Michigan’s thirdgrade reading crisis
2. Severe teacher shortages with declining morale amongst educators
3. A broken pension system
4. A funding system that rewards enrollment, not accountability
5. A compensation system that rewards time-served, not merit
6. A lack of true transparency to empower parents

To reverse course, we need a bold, proven approach that restores transparency, empowers parents, and focuses every dollar on the student and teacher in the classroom.

My governing agenda would focus on, but not be limited to:

• Tackling Michigan’s teacher shortage through a serious merit-based pay system, retention bonuses, and classroom support.

• Posting all curriculum, staff training, and school spending online in a parent-friendly format so families know exactly what is being taught and how their dollars are being used.

• Combating our literacy crisis with universal early screening, intervention by trained high-quality tutors, and by making parents active partners in the learning process.

• Addressing Michigan’s teacher pension system (a $30 billion dollar problem) so that we can get more money into the classroom.

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, Republican

The catastrophic decline in our students’ academic performance stems directly from the Democrats’ reckless decision to shutter schools for nearly two years under draconian COVID mandates, despite warnings that prolonged closures would devastate learning outcomes. Five years later, we face a full-blown academic crisis, with our children paying the price for their shortsighted policies.

This issue was then further compounded by their decision to lower academic standards and repeal our read by third grade laws. Instead of giving our kids the support they needed to make up for lost time during the pandemic, they decided to lower the standards so they can pass students who aren’t prepared for the next grade level. 

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Democrat

1. Teachers are being asked to do far more than just teach. They’re mentors, counselors, crisis responders, and sometimes even stand-in parents. That’s a heavy lift. The K-12 years are critical. Every child needs consistent attention and support to succeed. In too many communities, especially those with a lower tax base, schools simply don’t have the resources to back them up. From not enough special education staff to a lack of updated tools in the classroom, the gap in services hurts students and burns out educators. We’ve got to listen to parents and teachers. They’re on the front lines, and they know what’s needed to help kids thrive.
2. If students don’t see a purpose in what they’re learning, they disengage. I’ve seen this over and over. Five years ago, we introduced the Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally through Education (I.G.N.I.T.E.) in the Genesee County jail, which provides education opportunities and job training to inmates at the Genesee County Jail. We have now graduated hundreds of individuals with their GED's, diplomas, and skilled trades and helped many more find future employment by partnering with labor unions and training programs. We need to bring that same mindset to Michigan classrooms. Purpose drives performance, and we need more of that connection in our schools.

What would you do to improve early literacy in Michigan, and how is that different from what’s currently being done?

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Democrat

We need a comprehensive, data driven plan to transform how we address early literacy in this state.  The plan should incorporate data, best practices, timelines and benchmarks, with a goal of meeting our students and educators where they are and ensuring every child in Michigan’s public schools is able to read at their expected reading levels.

The current plan is not working. Michigan ranks 44th in 4th grade reading and 31st in 8th grade math. Last year, reading scores were lower than before the pandemic, and Black and Hispanic students remain significantly behind their white peers — highlighting unacceptable and harmful inequities in an already broken system. 

There have been well-intentioned, bipartisan investments in tutoring, early literacy coaching, and additional support.  But those efforts lack coherence and consistency. We have over 400 different literacy curricula in use, many of which have no basis in evidence or data as a successful approach to teaching. That's inefficient and unfair to educators and students who are striving to succeed.

We can solve this with a plan that will ensure every K–3 teacher and coach is trained in the LETRS early literacy program and that our schools are aligned to high-quality, research-backed core curricula for literacy and math. It also means transforming how we train teachers -- from preparation programs to real-time classroom support.

But here’s where my plan is fundamentally different: I believe every child in Michigan deserves a personalized roadmap for success. That’s why I’ve proposed the MiKids Success Plan to address early literacy and prepare every kid in Michigan to succeed

The MiKids Success Plan

Beginning in kindergarten, every Michigan student should have a MiKids Success Plan — a living, personalized education roadmap reviewed every semester with families and educators. No more one-size-fits-all. No more waiting until a child is in crisis to intervene.

Each plan will include:

• A snapshot of a student’s readiness at kindergarten entry
• Clear benchmarks and supports to reach proficiency in reading by grade 4 and math by grade 8
• A roadmap to begin a career and college readiness pathway by grade 11
• Documentation of wraparound services, attendance, and how out-of-school experiences can enhance classroom learning
• Regular metrics and tracking, using both assessments and portfolio evidence to guide progress

Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, Republican

Please also see the above answer and check out our in-depth policy solutions to education at https://mikecox2026.com/on-the-issues. 

Further, with the fifth highest rate of state spending on schools in the Nation, we are not underinvesting in education. But we need to move more of the monies appropriated to the earlier grades, specifically, K to 3rd grade, to improve literacy. So we need to reprioritize what monies schools receive right now, to place the focus on early investment.

Put differently, every study shows that if a child learns to read, she then has more competency to then read to learn other topics. So in addition to pushing more dollars to the earlier grades, I would require more focus in the earlier grades on just reading and math. If those schools are mastered, a child has the tools to learn everything else. In conjunction with this, we should reduce the rules and tests on schools and kindergarten through 3rd graders that don’t involve math or reading. This increase in focus on reading/literacy will naturally lead to better results on literacy.

Related to the above, moving resources to the “front end” of each student’s career, i.e., early grades, means in the early grades that schools do more tutoring of students, more coaching of teachers, create individual reading plans for students who struggle, and provide other resources to get each child to learn how to read. These are ideas that are used in Mississippi and elsewhere. See, for instance, https://theconversation.com/mississippis-education-miracle-a-model-for-global-literacy-reform-251895.

It is noteworthy that Mississippi does this much better than Michigan with much fewer dollars. Indeed, Mississippi outperforms Michigan in every single possible social, economic, and racial demographic. So, we should expect that Michigan can do even better with concentrated focus, priorities aligned between State government and local schools systems and teachers.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Independent 

At the Mackinac Policy Conference, I unveiled a Marshall Plan for early reading. $4.5 billion to rebuild education in our state. It’s simple: if our kids can’t read, they won’t succeed. I proposed bringing teachers, administrators and parents together to launch an early reading program for Michigan’s students. This will be centered around proven methods we know actually work, like student tutoring, summer reading and small group learning. Teachers will have access to apprenticeship programs and literacy training and will be given the support and training to explore cutting-edge technologies to enhance performance, like AI reading support for students. 

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Democrat 

Gilchrist did not respond directly to Bridge’s questions. See below for his full statement. 

US Rep. John James, Republican

James did not respond directly to Bridge’s questions. See below for his campaign’s full statement. 

Sen. Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, Republican

To improve early literacy in our State, we must urgently reinstate robust “read by third grade” laws and reinstitute clear, transparent letter-grade evaluations for schools.That enables us to learn from the schools that are performing well, in addition to identifying the ones that aren’t and who need additional assistance. While our scores declined in recent years, Mississippi’s improved drastically. They did that by raising standards, not lowering them. We have to get back to basics. We need a budget that prioritizes academic outcomes over administrative overhead and that actually put’s our students first.

Former House Speaker Tom Leonard, Republican

Michigan’s literacy crisis is a result of poor policy and weak governance. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we simply need to look at what’s worked in other states and apply those proven strategies in a way that fits Michigan’s unique needs. Look no further than Mississippi, one of the poorest states in the country that was able to climb from 49th to top 10 in the country because of the right reforms.

Michigan continues to spend too much on administrative overhead and statewide mandates, while allowing ineffective “balanced literacy” methods to dominate classrooms. Too often, parents are kept in the dark or discouraged from being involved. But with federal control receding, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine education in our state by using every dollar returned to us to empower parents, support teachers, and ensure that every child in Michigan can read by third grade.

Our state has already implemented universal pre-k. This program should be focused on the science of reading and preparing each child to read as they enter K-3. Additionally, there should be universal screening for literacy three times per year for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

When we pass a third grader to the fourth grade who still can’t read, we’re not being compassionate, we’re being negligent. We do a disservice to the child by denying them the foundation they need to succeed, to the parents who are counting on the school to help their child grow, to the teachers who inherit a student unprepared, and to the community that ultimately pays the price. We’re not just pushing a child forward; we're robbing them of their future potential and betraying the promise of public education.

That is why my plan includes the required retention of 3rd graders who do not meet our reading standards. As we are committed to reaching every student, my administration would invest in early intervention and targeted support far beyond what current state mandates require. There would be a line item in my proposed budget to support, train, and hire high-quality literacy coaches that can assist classrooms.

We would also actively promote parental and community engagement by expanding summer and after-school literacy programs. Churches, nonprofits, and civic organizations are trusted pillars in our communities, and my administration would help empower them to host reading nights, mentor struggling readers, and distribute books in neighborhoods that need them most.

Where current literacy programs assume consistent student attendance, my plan goes further by addressing barriers to access. We would provide additional support, such as transportation vouchers, mental-health counselors, and attendance teams, to help students stay engaged and benefit from reading interventions.

In short, my roadmap for early literacy reform in Michigan combines evidence-based tutoring, stronger community partnerships, proactive attendance strategies, teacher coaching, and real-time data tracking. The goal is simple: a cohesive, child-centered system built on accountability, measurable results, and a belief that every child, regardless of zip code, deserves the opportunity to read, succeed, and thrive.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, Democrat

There isn't one simple answer, but we know that an aligned curriculum, ongoing high-quality professional development for teachers, and research-based tiered intervention support for struggling readers are essential. The recently passed "science of reading" law is a positive step in that direction for Michigan. This bipartisan legislation is a great step to improve literacy outcomes, and we must also support our teachers and school administrators in these efforts.

However, improving literacy goes beyond just reading. This includes financial literacy, media and digital literacy, and health literacy. Not every student learns the same, and we need to provide the sort of skills and wrap-around literacy programs to all students, similar to what we have done with I.G.N.I.T.E. 

Lastly, we cannot expect children to succeed in school if they are hungry, scared, or unsure where they will sleep at night. From my experience, when there is no structure at home or when parents are overwhelmed or absent, school becomes the least of a child's concerns. We must do more to support families and give children a fair chance before they even enter the classroom. 

Statements from candidates who did not directly answer the questions: 

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Democrat 

“Governor Whitmer and I are incredibly proud to have equalized school funding ensuring every school district has the same baseline funding and to have increased the level of funding per student across Michigan to a record amount. But closing the funding gap isn’t enough—we also need to close the outcome gap. We have more work to do to ensure every student in Michigan can read and have a bright future. 

That means listening to the people who know our students best: teachers. Every educator in this state knows what their students need to succeed—which is why they should have access to more than just basic resources.  My approach to education is simple: trust the experts in the classroom and give them the tools, support, and flexibility they need to help every child thrive.”

US Rep. John James, Republican

Statement from Spokesperson Hannah Osantowske: 

“John James is deeply committed to reversing the persistent decline in our state’s education system, which has let down our children for far too long. John is dedicated to restoring academic excellence and ensuring every student has access to a world-class education. In the coming weeks, John will release a comprehensive education policy agenda outlining his vision to transform Michigan’s schools and empower the next generation.”