Talent & Education

Once at rock bottom, this Northern Michigan elementary now produces stars

Kenwood Elementary in Cadillac is proving that low-income students can learn to read as well as their wealthier classmates. Can the rest of Michigan learn the same lesson? (Bridge photo by Ron French)

April 26, 2018 Ron French Talent & Education

CADILLAC – By almost any indicator, the students at Kenwood Elementary in Cadillac should be poor readers.

Almost three in four Kenwood students are economically disadvantaged, in a state that ranks 44th in the nation in low-income fourth-grade reading skills.

More than nine in 10 students at the school are white; Michigan’s poor, white students rank a dismal 49th in fourth-grade reading, ahead of only Alaska.

Yet Kenwood’s low-income students are reading all-stars, meeting Michigan’s fourth-grade reading standards at double the rate of poor students elsewhere in the state. That’s quite a record for a school that, just four years ago, was one of the worst-performing in Michigan as measured by the Michigan Department of Education.

That turnaround was no miracle, say school leaders in Cadillac, just a new approach to teaching, a focus on data, and a lot of work.

“Change is hard,” said Cadillac Superintendent Jennifer Brown. “A sense of urgency is needed.”

Four years ago, Kenwood Elementary was in the second percentile of schools in Michigan; two years later, it had rocketed to the 59th percentile. (Bridge photo by Ron French)

The question is whether Michigan can find that same sense of urgency to respond to poor education performance across the state.

Scores released this month from the National Assessment for Educational Progress, often called the “nation’s report card,” showed Michigan remains in the bottom third nationally in overall student achievement. Michigan fourth-graders ranked 36th in reading compared to their peers in other states.

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That should be sobering to state leaders, because early literacy is considered a major indicator of later academic success.

More sobering is an analysis conducted by Brian Jacob, a University of Michigan economics professor. Even when economic and social indicators (such as poverty) are taken into account, Michigan schools underperform compared with most other states.

Michigan also had the biggest decrease in fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math scores between 2003 and 2015 among all students.

“Michigan is doing worse,” Jacob said. “I don’t think anyone knows exactly what the reason is, and that’s partly because there are lots of reasons.”

Michigan’s poor performance doesn’t surprise University of Michigan early literacy researcher Nell Duke. “States vary in the degree to which their policies and practices support the education of students, including low-income students,” Duke said.

“For example, Michigan funds our schools less equitably than many other states, which affects low-income students of all races,” Duke said. Many high-performing states give added money to poor districts because it costs more in additional staffing and resources to raise student achievement among low-income students. In Michigan, per-pupil funding is equal for students regardless of income.

Michigan also invests less in teacher continuing education than other states, Duke said.

“Our students just really don’t have the support, and in some cases our schools don’t have the staffing that some other (states) do,” said Ron Koehler, assistant superintendent of Kent Intermediate School District, which includes Grand Rapids Public Schools. “We’re last in the nation in terms of school nurses, for example. We don’t have as many social workers to deal with issues (as other states).”

Comparing the Great Lakes State with the Sunshine State offers an example of how the nitty-gritty of state policy can affect learning. While Michigan’s low-income white fourth-graders rank 49th in reading, Florida’s rank second, with reading skills almost two years ahead of similar students in Michigan. A decade ago, Florida’s fourth-graders were a year behind Michigan’s.

Smartest kids: In Florida, early reading and frequent testing bring results, and pushback

One element in that turnaround: Florida invested heavily in early literacy, in additional staffing and teacher training, to the tune of $130 million in 2014 alone. By comparison, Michigan allocated $6 million for early literacy coaches in 2017.

Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2010 capping class size at 18 for kindergarten through third grade and 22 for fourth through eighth grades. Florida also has universal pre-K available to all families. Michigan’s pre-K program is available only to low- and moderate-income families, and even among those families an estimated 30,000 4-year-olds still do not have access to high-quality early education.

In a 2014 interview with Bridge, Florida’s Foundation for Excellence In Education CEO Patricia Levesque said, “If a big state with a Michigan-size population of low-income students can improve, maybe there are some things Michigan can learn from Florida’s experience that would be useful.”

There may also be lessons closer to home, too, in a blue-collar town in northern Michigan.

Hope in an unexpected place

Cadillac is a town of 10,000 in the northwest Lower Peninsula. In the 1800s, it was known for its lumber business and locomotive manufacturing. Rock band KISS played at a homecoming dance there in 1975. Today, it’s a typical northern Michigan community, with below-average household income and educational attainment, surviving on small industries and tourism.

“I know people want to find a silver bullet in a program, but most of that turnaround was due to a shift in thinking. It really is about finding people who are committed to the work and the kids, and are willing to roll up their sleeves (and say) ‘Whatever the kids bring to school, we’re going to work with it.’” ‒ Cadillac Superintendent Jennifer Brown

Four years ago, the Michigan Department of Education placed Cadillac’s highest-poverty school – Kenwood Elementary – in the second percentile of all Michigan schools, based on assessments and performance growth on a variety of tests and subjects.

Two years later, the school rose to the 59th percentile.

The remarkable turnaround was based partly on the school’s rising reading scores. On the 2017 M-STEP, Michigan’s state accountability test, only 29 percent of the state’s low-income fourth-graders were proficient or better in English language arts, half the rate of their wealthier classmates.

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But at high-poverty Kenwood, 62 percent of low-income fourth-graders were proficient or higher ‒ one of the highest rates for low-income students in the state.

Kenwood’s success shows that Michigan schools can improve learning, and can do it without a huge infusion of cash.

An emphasis on small group learning and data have helped turn around a struggling, low-income elementary school. (Bridge photo by Ron French)

In a small, cluttered principal’s office, Kenwood Principal Kelly Buckmaster and Cadillac Superintendent Jennifer Brown rattled off a list of changes instituted at the school since its low-water mark in 2014.

Major teacher shakeup: Six of Kenwood’s 14 classroom teachers were replaced. “We gave them the option – get on board (with the plan) or (leave),” Brown said.
Support staff: The school added two certified teachers without classroom assignments – a behavioral specialist to head off student issues before they caused disruptions, and an instructional coach who meets with every teacher at least once a month to go over data and tweak teaching methods sort of like a batting coach on a baseball team. The Cadillac Area Public Schools district squeezed money from other programs to fill the new positions.
Common planning time: Teachers have time during the school week to meet to strategize classwork.
Food and dentists: Kenwood offers free breakfast for all students, rather than the third of students who received it before the turnaround. And a dentist visits the school twice a year for students who may not see dentists regularly.
Quick turnaround classroom data: “My teachers have weekly common planning time,” Buckmaster said. “One week we may be looking at math data, and another week at reading data: ‘Here’s where we want to be. Here’s the kids who got there. Here’s the kids who didn’t get there. What are we going to do to get them there? How are we going to assess that they actually got there?’”
Smaller groups: An emphasis on small-group and individualized instruction, to work with students who are struggling with a concept. This was more complicated than it sounds, Buckmaster said. Teachers had to prepare multiple lessons that could keep various groups active at the same time.
Good vibes: A culture that praises students for what they do right rather than criticizing them for what they do wrong. “When you walk into the school, you can feel the positive environment,” said third-grade teacher Kelly Baas.

“It probably doesn’t sound revolutionary,” admitted Brown. “I know people want to find a silver bullet in a program, but most of that turnaround was due to a shift in thinking. It really is about finding people who are committed to the work and the kids, and are willing to roll up their sleeves (and say) ‘Whatever the kids bring to school, we’re going to work with it.’”

“We still have all the problems,” Buckmaster said. “We just handle them differently now. We focus on what we can control.”

The reforms at Kenwood have been so successful they’ve been expanded to other elementary schools in Cadillac, with Brown squeezing dollars from the district’s budget to pay for more literacy coaches.

What happened at Kenwood can happen elsewhere, Brown said. “We can’t clone Kelly and her staff, but you don’t need to,” she said. “Teachers work hard. They’re invested. No one gets into the profession to see kids not succeed. This is scalable, if teachers are supported in the right way.”

That support includes building in time for teachers to work together to share an idea, ensuring they receive quick access to student data, and providing the money for good professional development.

“It takes a commitment to allocate resources where needs are and not just follow the same paradigm you’ve always followed,” Brown said.

The question is whether the state now has that same sense of urgency that Kenwood instructional coach Heidi Stange feels when she recalls the faces of teachers the day they learned the school was in the second percentile.

“We can’t think we have a handle on it, because then we’re losing focus,” Stange said. “It scares me when I think about us sliding.”

Different income, different reading skills

There is a frustratingly stubborn gap in the reading skills of Michigan students from low-income families and their wealthier classmates. Look up the percentage of poor students and non-poor students who were proficient or higher on the M-STEP third-grade English language arts test in 2017 by typing in the name of your school district.

District	Poor students			Non-poor students
District	Tested	Passed	Percent	Tested	Passed	Percent
Zeeland	117	58	49.6	289	208	72
Ypsilanti	213	24	11.3	21	<10	*
Yale	55	30	54.5	76	54	71.1
Wyoming	250	63	25.2	50	23	46
Wyandotte	150	57	38	117	65	55.6
Woodland School	2	< 10	*	21	10	47.6
Woodland Park Academy	38	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Woodhaven-Brownstown	175	67	38.3	201	138	68.7
Wolverine	18	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Windemere Park Charter Academy	51	22	43.1	30	17	56.7
Winans Academy	58	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Williamston	23	11	47.8	89	72	80.9
William C. Abney Academy	52	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Will Carleton Charter School Academy	2	< 10	*	24	16	66.7
Whittemore-Prescott	47	19	40.4	7	< 10	*
Whitmore Lake	30	11	36.7	27	16	59.3
Whitehall	75	30	40	76	53	69.7
Whiteford	9	< 10	*	39	21	53.8
Whitefish	1	< 10	*	0		0
White Pine Academy	4	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
White Pigeon	41	< 10	*	25	10	40
White Cloud	41	18	43.9	17	< 10	*
Westwood Heights	41	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Westwood	131	10	7.6	10	< 10	*
Weston	24	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Western	90	35	38.9	131	87	66.4
West Village Academy	42	13	31	11	< 10	*
West Ottawa	269	138	51.3	182	133	73.1
West MI Academy of Environmental Science	49	20	40.8	23	17	73.9
West MI Academy of Arts and Academics	20	< 10	*	41	22	53.7
West Iron	43	13	30.2	21	< 10	*
West Branch-Rose City	94	42	44.7	43	30	69.8
West Bloomfield	90	26	28.9	241	153	63.5
Wells Township	1	< 10	*	0		0
Webberville	28	20	71.4	25	18	72
Wayne-Westland	578	94	16.3	265	120	45.3
Wayland Union	104	44	42.3	130	81	62.3
Waverly	149	72	48.3	54	32	59.3
Watervliet	55	21	38.2	35	16	45.7
Watersmeet	13	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Waterford Montessori Academy	5	< 10	*	27	16	59.3
Waterford	354	131	37	243	135	55.6
Washington-Parks Academy	153	31	20.3	35	< 10	*
Warrendale Charter Academy	81	20	24.7	2	< 10	*
Warren Woods	102	26	25.5	88	40	45.5
Warren Consolidated	626	188	30	405	212	52.3
Walton Charter Academy	79	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Walled Lake	242	60	24.8	746	425	57
Walkerville	17	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Walker Charter Academy	27	< 10	*	47	37	78.7
Waldron	9	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Walden Green Montessori	7	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Wakefield-Marenisco	4	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Voyageur Academy	65	10	15.4	4	< 10	*
Vista Charter Academy	64	18	28.1	7	< 10	*
Vicksburg	63	33	52.4	100	69	69
Vestaburg	24	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Vassar	43	11	25.6	15	10	66.7
Vanguard Charter Academy	34	11	32.4	51	31	60.8
Vandercook Lake	75	23	30.7	31	14	45.2
Vanderbilt Charter Academy	36	21	58.3	11	< 10	*
Vanderbilt	2	< 10	*	0		0
Van Dyke	147	26	17.7	56	16	28.6
Van Buren	180	25	13.9	112	46	41.1
Utica	625	228	36.5	1,250	787	63
University Yes Academy	44	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
University Preparatory Science and Math (PSAD)	57	20	35.1	29	12	41.4
University Preparatory Academy (PSAD)	118	33	28	21	< 10	*
Universal Learning Academy	50	15	30	14	< 10	*
Universal Academy	51	< 10	*	0		0
Unionville-Sebewaing	25	11	44	21	12	57.1
Union City	33	< 10	*	25	11	44
Ubly	20	< 10	*	16	11	68.8
Troy	123	55	44.7	802	588	73.3
Triumph Academy	46	22	47.8	36	19	52.8
Trillium Academy	35	14	40	20	14	70
Tri County	102	30	29.4	51	27	52.9
Trenton	41	< 10	*	134	64	47.8
Traverse City	293	105	35.8	427	255	59.7
Tipton Academy	53	18	34	12	< 10	*
Timbuktu Academy	39	< 10	*	0		0
Timberland Academy	66	10	15.2	5	< 10	*
Three Rivers	131	54	41.2	81	57	70.4
Three Oaks Public School Academy	65	11	16.9	2	< 10	*
Three Lakes Academy	7	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Thornapple Kellogg	84	34	40.5	136	90	66.2
The Paris Academy	4	< 10	*	8	< 10	*
The New Standard Academy	49	20	40.8	5	< 10	*
The James and Grace Lee Boggs School	7	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
The Dearborn Academy	44	18	40.9	1	< 10	*
Tekonsha	13	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Tecumseh	72	34	47.2	152	97	63.8
Taylor International Academy	11	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Taylor Exemplar Academy	55	18	32.7	27	17	63
Taylor	413	83	20.1	117	43	36.8
Tawas	48	22	45.8	36	23	63.9
Tahquamenon	32	15	46.9	21	11	52.4
Swartz Creek	128	51	39.8	120	61	50.8
Swan Valley	52	26	50	78	53	67.9
Suttons Bay	24	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Superior Central	26	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Summit Academy North	87	30	34.5	40	15	37.5
Summit Academy	24	< 10	*	19	< 10	*
Summerfield	15	< 10	*	40	27	67.5
Success Mile Academy	42	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Sturgis	226	77	34.1	20	< 10	*
Stockbridge	38	18	47.4	54	36	66.7
Stephenson	17	< 10	*	16	10	62.5
State Street Academy	15	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Starr Detroit Academy	97	16	16.5	7	< 10	*
Star International Academy	109	40	36.7	12	< 10	*
Stanton Township	11	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Standish-Sterling	56	26	46.4	46	32	69.6
St. Louis	51	< 10	*	27	14	51.9
St. Joseph	59	21	35.6	133	87	65.4
St. Johns	70	25	35.7	116	75	64.7
St. Ignace	10	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
St. Charles	24	< 10	*	25	18	72
Springport	49	20	40.8	21	< 10	*
Spring Lake	28	23	82.1	146	124	84.9
Sparta	79	44	55.7	90	62	68.9
Southwest Detroit Community School	59	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Southgate	121	31	25.6	115	59	51.3
Southfield	272	83	30.5	155	68	43.9
South Redford	164	44	26.8	75	29	38.7
South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy	32	11	34.4	53	32	60.4
South Lyon	100	30	30	495	320	64.6
South Lake	89	27	30.3	35	20	57.1
South Haven	76	24	31.6	61	35	57.4
South Canton Scholars Charter Academy	17	< 10	*	70	46	65.7
South Arbor Charter Academy	17	< 10	*	67	40	59.7
Sodus Twp #5	5	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Sigel Twp. #4F	3	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Shepherd	64	20	31.3	73	35	47.9
Shelby	80	17	21.3	12	< 10	*
Schoolcraft	25	11	44	49	29	59.2
Sault Ste. Marie	70	34	48.6	45	33	73.3
Saugatuck	21	10	47.6	31	30	96.8
Saranac	46	15	32.6	42	25	59.5
Sarah J. Webber Media Arts Academy	21	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Sandusky	41	19	46.3	33	20	60.6
Sand Creek	29	13	44.8	30	18	60
Saline	34	10	29.4	316	221	69.9
Saginaw Township	150	39	26	170	104	61.2
Saginaw Preparatory Academy	35	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Saginaw	412	84	20.4	83	42	50.6
Rutherford Winans Academy	39	< 10	*	0		0
Rudyard	37	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Royal Oak	71	25	35.2	320	208	65
Ross-Hill Academy	12	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Roseville	209	48	23	153	33	21.6
Roscommon	41	13	31.7	27	12	44.4
Romulus	144	43	29.9	51	16	31.4
Romeo	87	33	37.9	279	165	59.1
Rogers City	19	13	68.4	14	< 10	*
Rockford	81	30	37	457	283	61.9
Rochester	93	42	45.2	947	683	72.1
Riverview	83	33	39.8	117	64	54.7
Riverside Academy	73	17	23.3	0		0
River Valley	17	< 10	*	19	13	68.4
River Rouge	96	15	15.6	35	13	37.1
River City Scholars Charter Academy	55	11	20	4	< 10	*
Ridge Park Charter Academy	58	19	32.8	17	12	70.6
Richmond	34	16	47.1	58	35	60.3
Richfield Public School Academy	75	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Republic-Michigamme	3	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Renaissance Public School Academy	27	< 10	*	20	15	75
Regents Academy	1	< 10	*	0		0
Regent Park Scholars Charter Academy	81	10	12.3	1	< 10	*
Reeths-Puffer	151	55	36.4	132	73	55.3
Reese	32	19	59.4	18	< 10	*
Reed City	81	18	22.2	47	20	42.6
Redford Union	114	26	22.8	25	< 10	*
Reading	32	< 10	*	18	< 10	*
Reach Charter Academy	60	13	21.7	15	< 10	*
Ravenna	31	12	38.7	32	19	59.4
Rapid River	5	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Quincy	41	20	48.8	36	21	58.3
Quest Charter Academy	57	23	40.4	27	14	51.9
Prevail Academy	56	11	19.6	13	< 10	*
Powell	2	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Potterville	25	12	48	38	23	60.5
Posen	13	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Portland	46	23	50	111	77	69.4
Portage	150	61	40.7	456	330	72.4
Port Huron	380	105	27.6	225	121	53.8
Pontiac Academy for Excellence	51	< 10	*	18	< 10	*
Pontiac	221	31	14	58	< 10	*
Plymouth-Canton	175	66	37.7	908	599	66
Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy	8	< 10	*	81	56	69.1
Plymouth Educational Center Charter School	34	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Plainwell	71	23	32.4	128	89	69.5
Pittsford	27	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Pine River	49	16	32.7	26	15	57.7
Pinconning	59	19	32.2	38	23	60.5
Pinckney	26	< 10	*	122	60	49.2
Pickford	11	< 10	*	16	< 10	*
Pewamo-Westphalia	10	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Petoskey	71	24	33.8	108	69	63.9
Perry	39	12	30.8	39	25	64.1
Pentwater	7	< 10	*	13	11	84.6
Pennfield	75	22	29.3	72	40	55.6
Pellston	21	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Peck	16	< 10	*	8	< 10	*
Paw Paw	65	22	33.8	83	55	66.3
Parchment	54	18	33.3	45	27	60
Paramount Charter Academy	34	< 10	*	17	< 10	*
Paragon Academy	55	20	36.4	30	17	56.7
Pansophia Academy	28	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Oxford	62	19	30.6	232	128	55.2
Owosso	136	37	27.2	90	43	47.8
Owendale-Gagetown	10	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Ovid-Elsie	59	25	42.4	36	24	66.7
Otsego	67	43	64.2	113	83	73.5
Oscoda	65	17	26.2	17	10	58.8
Orchard View	112	38	33.9	38	17	44.7
Ontonagon	6	< 10	*	9	< 10	*
Onsted	44	19	43.2	52	34	65.4
Onekama	19	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Onaway	34	10	29.4	19	< 10	*
Olivet	29	< 10	*	57	42	73.7
Old Redford Academy	117	40	34.2	21	< 10	*
Okemos	44	17	38.6	245	181	73.9
Ojibway Charter School	7	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Oakside Scholars Charter Academy	68	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Oakridge	104	36	34.6	49	29	59.2
Oakland International	44	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Oakland Academy	13	< 10	*	13	11	84.6
Oak Park	212	44	20.8	27	< 10	*
Novi	24	10	41.7	474	323	68.1
Nottawa	6	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Norway-Vulcan	26	< 10	*	23	12	52.2
Northwest	121	50	41.3	102	55	53.9
Northville	24	11	45.8	519	370	71.3
Northview	108	45	41.7	116	63	54.3
Northridge Academy	33	< 10	*	0		0
Northport	7	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
North Star Academy	13	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
North Saginaw Charter Academy	55	11	20	3	< 10	*
North Muskegon	25	15	60	50	34	68
North Huron	16	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
North Dickinson	7	< 10	*	13	< 10	*
North Central	11	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
North Branch	87	41	47.1	81	48	59.3
North Adams-Jerome	18	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Noor International Academy	12	< 10	*	13	12	92.3
Niles	155	50	32.3	106	50	47.2
NICE	29	15	51.7	68	43	63.2
Newaygo	79	14	17.7	48	19	39.6
New Paradigm Glazer-Loving Academy	39	< 10	*	0		0
New Paradigm College Prep	12	< 10	*	0		0
New Lothrop	16	< 10	*	35	21	60
New Haven	52	12	23.1	53	16	30.2
New Buffalo	24	11	45.8	21	13	61.9
New Branches Charter Academy	18	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
New Beginnings Academy	21	< 10	*	0		0
New Bedford Academy	7	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Negaunee	41	18	43.9	83	44	53
Napoleon	50	27	54	45	34	75.6
Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy	15	< 10	*	0		0
Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change	13	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System	52	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Muskegon	224	30	13.4	27	< 10	*
Munising	25	< 10	*	23	< 10	*
Multicultural Academy	9	< 10	*	0		0
Mt. Pleasant	96	37	38.5	138	77	55.8
Mt. Morris	125	20	16	12	< 10	*
Mt. Clemens Montessori Academy	7	< 10	*	43	25	58.1
Mount Clemens	57	11	19.3	21	< 10	*
Morrice	15	< 10	*	9	< 10	*
Morley Stanwood	67	< 10	*	23	< 10	*
Morey Montessori Public School Academy	6	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Morenci	24	< 10	*	16	< 10	*
Moran Twp	3	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Montrose	61	20	32.8	38	22	57.9
Montague	59	16	27.1	55	38	69.1
Montabella	41	< 10	*	18	< 10	*
Monroe	265	69	26	97	52	53.6
Mona Shores	112	28	25	168	100	59.5
Momentum Academy	10	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Mio-AuSable	22	10	45.5	12	< 10	*
Millington	49	14	28.6	32	17	53.1
Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy	23	< 10	*	0		0
Milan	48	13	27.1	83	39	47
Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy	38	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Midland Academy of Advanced and Creative Studies	5	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Midland	202	82	40.6	314	223	71
Mid Peninsula	12	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Michigan Virtual Charter Academy	93	29	31.2	31	17	54.8
Michigan Technical Academy	88	25	28.4	19	< 10	*
Michigan School for the Deaf	3	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Michigan School for the Arts	32	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Michigan Mathematics and Science Academy	44	< 10	*	0		0
Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy	84	12	14.3	18	11	61.1
Michigan Educational Choice Center	80	10	12.5	15	< 10	*
Michigan Connections Academy	46	17	37	41	26	63.4
Michigan Center	49	17	34.7	46	20	43.5
Metro Charter Academy	61	29	47.5	24	13	54.2
Mesick	32	10	31.3	12	< 10	*
Merritt Academy	15	< 10	*	27	13	48.1
Merrill	15	< 10	*	8	< 10	*
Meridian	48	13	27.1	29	10	34.5
Menominee	57	24	42.1	47	22	46.8
Mendon	24	10	41.7	18	< 10	*
Memphis	19	< 10	*	40	18	45
Melvindale-N. Allen Park	162	47	29	29	16	55.2
McBain	47	21	44.7	33	19	57.6
Mayville	27	12	44.4	20	< 10	*
Mattawan	51	14	27.5	202	147	72.8
Mason Co. Eastern	25	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Mason Co. Central	60	20	33.3	32	15	46.9
Mason (Monroe)	44	21	47.7	33	29	87.9
Mason (Ingham)	57	20	35.1	147	91	61.9
Marysville	64	34	53.1	149	98	65.8
Martin Luther King, Jr. Education Center Academy	31	23	74.2	2	< 10	*
Martin	30	20	66.7	10	< 10	*
Marshall Academy	15	< 10	*	16	< 10	*
Marshall	109	38	34.9	106	63	59.4
Marquette	53	19	35.8	164	90	54.9
Marlette	45	16	35.6	12	< 10	*
Marion	21	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Marcellus	23	10	43.5	13	10	76.9
Mar Lee	20	10	50	9	< 10	*
Maple Valley	57	15	26.3	29	< 10	*
Manton	39	< 10	*	32	19	59.4
Manistique	36	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Manistee	66	17	25.8	42	23	54.8
Manchester	13	< 10	*	40	17	42.5
Mancelona	53	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Madison-Carver Academy	69	14	20.3	13	< 10	*
Madison Academy	19	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Madison (Oakland)	56	21	37.5	5	< 10	*
Madison (Lenawee)	78	37	47.4	52	28	53.8
Macomb Montessori Academy	12	< 10	*	0		0
Mackinaw City	8	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
MacDowell Preparatory Academy	29	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Ludington	83	24	28.9	70	45	64.3
Lowell	107	52	48.6	163	106	65
Livonia	283	92	32.5	729	437	59.9
Livingston Classical Cyber Academy	3	< 10	*	15	11	73.3
Litchfield	5	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Linden Charter Academy	75	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Linden	59	21	35.6	118	81	68.6
Lincoln Park	329	86	26.1	56	24	42.9
Lincoln	139	16	11.5	109	48	44
Lighthouse Academy	4	< 10	*	0		0
Light of the World Academy	1	< 10	*	17	< 10	*
Leslie	45	26	57.8	36	25	69.4
Les Cheneaux	9	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Leland	12	< 10	*	19	11	57.9
Legacy Charter Academy	86	14	16.3	2	< 10	*
Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy	3	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Lawton	40	21	52.5	36	23	63.9
Lawrence	26	10	38.5	9	< 10	*
Laurus Academy	57	24	42.1	24	14	58.3
Lapeer	165	67	40.6	147	89	60.5
Lansing Charter Academy	70	11	15.7	11	< 10	*
Lansing	653	138	21.1	200	70	35
L'Anse Creuse	252	77	30.6	420	257	61.2
L'Anse	24	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Landmark Academy	35	14	40	23	11	47.8
Lamphere	114	23	20.2	93	35	37.6
Lakewood	69	38	55.1	63	51	81
LakeVille	49	18	36.7	31	16	51.6
Lakeview (Montcalm)	36	14	38.9	35	25	71.4
Lakeview (Macomb)	99	44	44.4	203	101	49.8
Lakeview (Calhoun)	180	38	21.1	134	73	54.5
Lakeshore (Berrien)	62	28	45.2	129	87	67.4
Lake Shore (Macomb)	77	22	28.6	130	64	49.2
Lake Orion	110	55	50	446	310	69.5
Lake Linden-Hubbell	22	11	50	18	15	83.3
Lake Fenton	36	19	52.8	112	62	55.4
Lake City	69	13	18.8	24	13	54.2
Laingsburg	18	< 10	*	53	37	69.8
Knapp Charter Academy	49	13	26.5	30	16	53.3
Kingston	25	< 10	*	17	12	70.6
Kingsley	47	26	55.3	54	42	77.8
Kingsbury Country Day School	3	< 10	*	22	< 10	*
Keystone Academy	30	16	53.3	55	38	69.1
Keys Grace Academy	39	< 10	*	0		0
Kentwood	420	185	44	179	130	72.6
Kent City	77	37	48.1	39	30	76.9
Kenowa Hills	106	41	38.7	91	62	68.1
Kelloggsville	122	32	26.2	19	13	68.4
Kearsley	160	53	33.1	57	35	61.4
Kalkaska	82	32	39	34	18	52.9
Kaleva Norman Dickson	34	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Kalamazoo	710	172	24.2	260	190	73.1
Joy Preparatory Academy	35	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Joseph K. Lumsden Bahweting Anishnabe Academy	43	20	46.5	23	13	56.5
Jonesville	56	15	26.8	43	14	32.6
Jo-Lewiston	31	16	51.6	18	< 10	*
Jenison	107	52	48.6	238	170	71.4
Jefferson International Academy	37	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Jefferson	63	33	52.4	41	24	58.5
Jackson	271	72	26.6	102	71	69.6
Ithaca	49	15	30.6	37	17	45.9
Island City Academy	5	< 10	*	19	< 10	*
Ishpeming	32	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Ironwood	37	17	45.9	24	12	50
Iron Mountain	24	15	62.5	16	12	75
Ionia Twp #2	2	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Ionia	119	50	42	90	61	67.8
International Academy of Saginaw	17	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
International Academy Flint	76	12	15.8	10	< 10	*
Innocademy Allegan Campus	5	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Innocademy	8	< 10	*	40	24	60
Inland Lakes	23	< 10	*	17	10	58.8
Imlay City	94	33	35.1	47	23	48.9
Ida	13	< 10	*	66	48	72.7
ICademy Global	1	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Huron Valley	158	53	33.5	456	276	60.5
Huron Academy	44	11	25	33	10	30.3
Huron	65	16	24.6	128	64	50
Hudsonville	97	58	59.8	369	287	77.8
Hudson	42	14	33.3	21	11	52.4
Howell	134	56	41.8	357	223	62.5
Houghton-Portage	27	10	37	52	37	71.2
Houghton Lake	54	11	20.4	18	10	55.6
Hopkins	47	24	51.1	69	49	71
Hope of Detroit Academy	83	17	20.5	2	< 10	*
Hope Academy of West Michigan	34	< 10	*	0		0
Hope Academy	39	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Honey Creek Community School	1	< 10	*	27	22	81.5
Homer	62	18	29	27	16	59.3
Holton	54	20	37	14	< 10	*
Holt	169	55	32.5	240	140	58.3
Holly Academy	5	< 10	*	95	66	69.5
Holly	93	30	32.3	114	68	59.6
Holland	164	59	36	62	41	66.1
Hillsdale Preparatory School	5	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Hillsdale	59	25	42.4	23	13	56.5
Hillman	21	< 10	*	19	< 10	*
Highpoint Virtual Academy of Michigan	48	< 10	*	11	< 10	*
Highland Park Public School Academy System	41	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Hesperia	46	< 10	*	27	< 10	*
Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies (PSAD)	55	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Hemlock	24	< 10	*	40	22	55
Hazel Park	131	18	13.7	52	11	21.2
Hastings	93	38	40.9	91	51	56
Haslett	54	29	53.7	140	109	77.9
Hartland	62	28	45.2	300	210	70
Hartford	84	11	13.1	14	< 10	*
Hart	93	15	16.1	21	11	52.4
Harrison	70	24	34.3	30	13	43.3
Harper Woods	70	17	24.3	22	< 10	*
Harper Creek	87	26	29.9	95	63	66.3
Harbor Springs	7	< 10	*	48	30	62.5
Harbor Beach	17	< 10	*	15	12	80
Hanover-Horton	31	12	38.7	55	43	78.2
Hanley International Academy	63	19	30.2	5	< 10	*
Hancock	30	15	50	28	19	67.9
Hamtramck Academy	59	27	45.8	0		0
Hamtramck	173	27	15.6	4	< 10	*
Hamilton Academy	32	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Hamilton	60	27	45	152	101	66.4
Hale	20	10	50	7	< 10	*
Hagar Twp #6	5	< 10	*	0		0
Gwinn	55	< 10	*	22	< 10	*
Gull Lake	51	18	35.3	181	112	61.9
Grosse Pointe	79	44	55.7	413	340	82.3
Grosse Ile	10	< 10	*	110	79	71.8
Greenville	149	61	40.9	150	94	62.7
Greater Heights Academy	51	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Great Oaks Academy	72	26	36.1	8	< 10	*
Great Lakes Academy	16	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Grass Lake	29	< 10	*	87	34	39.1
Grant	74	12	16.2	43	19	44.2
Grandville	103	44	42.7	226	140	61.9
Grand Traverse Academy	20	< 10	*	78	50	64.1
Grand River Academy	42	< 10	*	41	28	68.3
Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of Arts & Technology	10	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	15	< 10	*	27	17	63
Grand Rapids	1,090	215	19.7	155	74	47.7
Grand Ledge	108	41	38	264	163	61.7
Grand Haven	155	82	52.9	259	194	74.9
Grand Blanc Academy	47	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Grand Blanc	204	82	40.2	362	239	66
Goodrich	30	< 10	*	102	58	56.9
Godwin Heights	133	44	33.1	14	< 10	*
Godfrey-Lee	103	27	26.2	5	< 10	*
Gobles	38	20	52.6	19	12	63.2
Global Tech Academy	24	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Global Preparatory Academy	20	< 10	*	0		0
Global Heights Academy	47	< 10	*	0		0
Glenn	4	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Glen Lake	15	< 10	*	27	14	51.9
Gladwin	78	30	38.5	49	31	63.3
Gladstone	45	22	48.9	56	40	71.4
Gibraltar	73	26	35.6	178	99	55.6
George Washington Carver	48	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
George Crockett Academy	43	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Genesee STEM Academy	37	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Genesee	34	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
GEE White Academy	44	< 10	*	0		0
GEE Edmonson Academy	25	< 10	*	0		0
Gaylord	127	53	41.7	110	62	56.4
Garden City	128	68	53.1	101	70	69.3
Galesburg-Augusta	44	14	31.8	34	15	44.1
Fulton	15	< 10	*	22	12	54.5
Fruitport	101	44	43.6	65	45	69.2
Fremont	75	29	38.7	62	33	53.2
Freeland	40	16	40	130	92	70.8
Frederick Douglass International Academy	14	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Fraser	171	64	37.4	183	103	56.3
Frankfort-Elberta	12	< 10	*	18	14	77.8
Frankenmuth	12	< 10	*	61	32	52.5
Francis Reh PSA	40	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Fowlerville	87	34	39.1	128	80	62.5
Fowler	9	< 10	*	24	20	83.3
Four Corners Montessori Academy	11	< 10	*	41	21	51.2
Fortis Academy	57	26	45.6	26	15	57.7
Forest Park	23	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Forest Hills	82	32	39	635	438	69
Forest Area	20	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Forest Academy	23	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Flushing	121	41	33.9	160	96	60
Flint	400	46	11.5	29	< 10	*
Flat Rock	55	21	38.2	74	48	64.9
Flat River Academy	6	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Flagship Charter Academy	72	16	22.2	2	< 10	*
Fitzgerald	157	32	20.4	21	< 10	*
Ferndale	96	11	11.5	46	21	45.7
Fenton	69	17	24.6	156	89	57.1
Fennville	71	14	19.7	17	< 10	*
Faxon Language Immersion Academy	3	< 10	*	9	< 10	*
Farwell	45	18	40	40	18	45
Farmington	138	38	27.5	514	316	61.5
Fairview	13	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Excelsior	4	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Excel Charter Academy	43	21	48.8	40	35	87.5
Ewen-Trout Creek	5	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Evergreen Academy	4	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Evart Public Schools	38	16	42.1	16	< 10	*
Essexville-Hampton	48	19	39.6	63	39	61.9
Escuela Avancemos!	46	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Escanaba	103	25	24.3	63	35	55.6
Engadine	12	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Endeavor Charter Academy	66	11	16.7	11	< 10	*
Elm River	2	< 10	*	0		0
Ellsworth	13	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker	31	14	45.2	31	24	77.4
Elk Rapids	32	16	50	50	30	60
El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz Academy	31	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Edwardsburg	79	36	45.6	115	98	85.2
Education Achievement System-EAS	229	11	4.8	14	< 10	*
Ecorse	54	12	22.2	6	< 10	*
Eau Claire	57	22	38.6	6	< 10	*
Eaton Rapids	93	36	38.7	69	38	55.1
Eaton Academy	22	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Easton Twp #6	1	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
East Shore Leadership Academy	18	< 10	*	0		0
East Lansing	85	38	44.7	171	122	71.3
East Jordan	40	13	32.5	25	14	56
East Jackson	51	< 10	*	19	< 10	*
East Grand Rapids	7	< 10	*	210	178	84.8
East Detroit	135	23	17	35	< 10	*
East China	84	23	27.4	211	130	61.6
East Arbor Charter Academy	33	13	39.4	44	26	59.1
Eagle's Nest Academy	32	< 10	*	0		0
Eagle Crest Charter Academy	43	25	58.1	42	30	71.4
Durand	57	17	29.8	31	13	41.9
Dundee	42	16	38.1	59	34	57.6
Dryden	17	< 10	*	18	11	61.1
Dr. Joseph F. Pollack Academic Center of Excellence	70	19	27.1	28	12	42.9
Dowagiac Union	142	25	17.6	35	< 10	*
Dove Academy of Detroit	49	< 10	*	0		0
Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area K-12 School	14	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Dexter	28	13	46.4	234	137	58.5
DeWitt	42	18	42.9	183	119	65
Detroit Service Learning Academy	143	30	21	0		0
Detroit Premier Academy	71	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Detroit Merit Charter Academy	76	29	38.2	9	< 10	*
Detroit Leadership Academy	44	< 10	*	0		0
Detroit Innovation Academy	46	10	21.7	0		0
Detroit Enterprise Academy	78	15	19.2	2	< 10	*
Detroit Edison Public School Academy	106	58	54.7	10	< 10	*
Detroit Community Schools	45	16	35.6	3	< 10	*
Detroit Achievement Academy	15	< 10	*	0		0
Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences	88	< 10	*	8	< 10	*
Detroit	2,947	273	9.3	414	59	14.3
DeTour Arts and Technology Academy	2	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Detour	6	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Delton-Kellogg	52	10	19.2	32	14	43.8
Deckerville	38	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Decatur	42	16	38.1	18	11	61.1
Dearborn Heights #7	138	25	18.1	37	10	27
Dearborn	1,173	393	33.5	343	189	55.1
Davison	212	112	52.8	214	131	61.2
David Ellis Academy West	58	19	32.8	21	10	47.6
David Ellis Academy	33	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Dansville	14	< 10	*	27	14	51.9
Da Vinci Instittue	18	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Croswell-Lexington	73	31	42.5	69	51	73.9
Crossroads Charter Academy	24	10	41.7	11	< 10	*
Cross Creek Charter Academy	25	14	56	58	46	79.3
Crestwood	199	75	37.7	87	58	66.7
Crescent Academy	97	19	19.6	27	10	37
Creative Technologies Academy	3	< 10	*	18	< 10	*
Creative Montessori Academy	45	14	31.1	49	21	42.9
Crawford AuSable	88	34	38.6	44	32	72.7
Covert	22	< 10	*	0		0
Countryside Academy	47	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Corunna	84	27	32.1	45	24	53.3
Coopersville	86	33	38.4	114	71	62.3
Constantine	62	17	27.4	50	23	46
Conner Creek Academy East	51	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Concord Academy - Petoskey	8	< 10	*	8	< 10	*
Concord Academy - Boyne	2	< 10	*	9	< 10	*
Concord	21	< 10	*	20	11	55
Comstock Park	74	23	31.1	53	25	47.2
Comstock	90	25	27.8	26	17	65.4
Commonwealth Community Development Academy	27	< 10	*	0		0
Columbia	36	24	66.7	52	37	71.2
Colon	26	< 10	*	24	< 10	*
Coloma	66	26	39.4	33	17	51.5
Colfax Twp.	1	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Coleman	27	< 10	*	21	12	57.1
Cole Academy	15	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Coldwater	108	26	24.1	93	53	57
Clio	131	68	51.9	98	59	60.2
Clintondale	98	13	13.3	25	< 10	*
Clinton	22	10	45.5	51	26	51
Climax-Scotts	23	< 10	*	16	< 10	*
Clawson	37	< 10	*	61	26	42.6
Clarkston	110	43	39.1	414	261	63
Clarenceville	97	22	22.7	54	23	42.6
Clare	63	21	33.3	61	33	54.1
Chippewa Valley	280	89	31.8	821	451	54.9
Chippewa Hills	98	50	51	52	32	61.5
Chesaning Union	54	25	46.3	30	23	76.7
Chelsea	21	< 10	*	151	90	59.6
Cheboygan	80	24	30	33	22	66.7
Chatfield School	15	< 10	*	39	21	53.8
Chassell Township	12	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Charyl Stockwell Academy	8	< 10	*	93	64	68.8
Charlton Heston Academy	45	15	33.3	6	< 10	*
Charlotte	95	35	36.8	81	54	66.7
Charlevoix Montessori Academy for the Arts	1	< 10	*	0		0
Charlevoix	31	< 10	*	38	23	60.5
Chandler Woods Charter Academy	19	< 10	*	65	46	70.8
Chandler Park Academy	150	33	22	8	< 10	*
Cesar Chavez Academy	157	42	26.8	5	< 10	*
Centreville	24	< 10	*	25	16	64
Central Montcalm	77	14	18.2	50	17	34
Central Lake	9	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Central Academy	38	13	34.2	9	< 10	*
Center Line	143	29	20.3	46	16	34.8
Cedar Springs	106	26	24.5	151	65	43
Cassopolis	47	14	29.8	20	12	60
Cass City	39	11	28.2	37	26	70.3
Caseville	11	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Carsonville	13	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Carson City-Crystal	37	10	27	18	< 10	*
Carrollton	80	13	16.3	31	< 10	*
Caro	66	20	30.3	44	20	45.5
Carney-Nadeau	13	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Carman-Ainsworth	209	72	34.4	58	30	51.7
Capac	31	< 10	*	33	12	36.4
Canton Charter Academy	11	< 10	*	70	52	74.3
Caniff Liberty Academy	32	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Camden-Frontier	22	12	54.5	16	< 10	*
Calumet	58	31	53.4	48	34	70.8
Caledonia	66	35	53	247	178	72.1
Cadillac	143	84	58.7	93	74	79.6
Byron Center Charter School	9	< 10	*	17	12	70.6
Byron Center	77	43	55.8	235	199	84.7
Byron	31	12	38.7	27	14	51.9
Burton Glen Charter Academy	77	12	15.6	4	< 10	*
Burt Township	3	< 10	*	0		0
Burr Oak	18	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Bullock Creek	56	24	42.9	64	46	71.9
Buckley	15	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Buchanan	61	16	26.2	52	26	50
Brown City	39	17	43.6	26	19	73.1
Bronson	51	18	35.3	27	14	51.9
Britton Deerfield	23	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Brimley	29	< 10	*	14	< 10	*
Brighton	71	40	56.3	356	258	72.5
Bridgman	26	< 10	*	38	21	55.3
Bridgeport-Spaulding	70	< 10	*	20	< 10	*
Bridge Academy	76	12	15.8	0		0
Breitung Twp	57	30	52.6	71	48	67.6
Breckenridge	27	< 10	*	22	13	59.1
Brandywine	56	13	23.2	37	17	45.9
Brandon	65	21	32.3	94	51	54.3
Branch Line School	5	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Bradford Academy	64	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Boyne Falls	5	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Boyne City	44	21	47.7	54	39	72.2
Bloomingdale	68	25	36.8	6	< 10	*
Bloomfield Hills	21	< 10	*	322	217	67.4
Blissfield	28	12	42.9	55	29	52.7
Black River Public School	17	< 10	*	52	26	50
Birmingham	42	11	26.2	522	343	65.7
Birch Run	77	27	35.1	57	26	45.6
Big Rapids	65	32	49.2	74	47	63.5
Big Jackson	4	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Big Bay De Noc	13	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Bessemer	21	12	57.1	29	25	86.2
Berrien Springs	85	32	37.6	35	19	54.3
Berlin Twp #3	2	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Berkley	44	15	34.1	271	158	58.3
Benzie Co. Central	67	20	29.9	47	25	53.2
Benton Harbor Charter School Academy	47	< 10	*	0		0
Benton Harbor	125	< 10	*	25	< 10	*
Bentley	46	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Bendle	86	30	34.9	2	< 10	*
Bellevue	33	13	39.4	13	< 10	*
Bellaire	7	< 10	*	13	< 10	*
Belding	86	21	24.4	43	23	53.5
Beecher	61	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Bedford	81	31	38.3	213	146	68.5
Beaverton	47	< 10	*	15	< 10	*
Bear Lake	8	< 10	*	9	< 10	*
Beal City	19	< 10	*	28	< 10	*
Bay City Academy	27	< 10	*	12	< 10	*
Bay City	336	104	31	224	107	47.8
Battle Creek Montessori Academy	11	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Battle Creek	257	33	12.8	35	< 10	*
Bath	37	17	45.9	52	32	61.5
Bark River	31	11	35.5	15	< 10	*
Baraga	10	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Bangor Twp (Bay)	103	30	29.1	65	34	52.3
Bangor Twp #8	2	< 10	*	0		0
Bangor (Van Buren)	76	14	18.4	11	< 10	*
Baldwin	44	12	27.3	6	< 10	*
Bad Axe	34	13	38.2	26	16	61.5
Avondale	90	26	28.9	142	80	56.3
AuTrain-Onota	3	< 10	*	0		0
August Academy	1	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Au Gres-Sims	25	13	52	15	11	73.3
Atlanta	16	< 10	*	6	< 10	*
Atherton	43	< 10	*	2	< 10	*
Athens	22	10	45.5	25	17	68
Ashley	13	< 10	*	5	< 10	*
Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac	33	< 10	*	19	< 10	*
Armada	33	10	30.3	89	50	56.2
Arenac Eastern	4	< 10	*	0		0
Arbor Academy	31	11	35.5	7	< 10	*
Ann Arbor Learning Community	4	< 10	*	10	< 10	*
Ann Arbor	282	77	27.3	876	633	72.3
Anchor Bay	92	47	51.1	295	178	60.3
American Montessori Academy	41	< 10	*	34	13	38.2
American International Academy	41	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Alpena	136	50	36.8	110	56	50.9
Almont	29	18	62.1	72	55	76.4
Alma	89	25	28.1	65	32	49.2
Allendale	62	20	32.3	151	95	62.9
Allen Park	77	33	42.9	175	97	55.4
Allegan	117	42	35.9	58	35	60.3
Algonac	48	20	41.7	71	38	53.5
Alcona	34	12	35.3	12	< 10	*
Alba	12	< 10	*	1	< 10	*
Alanson	12	< 10	*	7	< 10	*
Akron-Fairgrove	14	10	71.4	3	< 10	*
Airport	88	29	33	88	42	47.7
Advanced Technology Academy	75	13	17.3	8	< 10	*
Adrian	144	48	33.3	63	32	50.8
Addison	39	17	43.6	28	11	39.3
Adams Township	23	11	47.8	15	10	66.7
Achieve Charter Academy	12	10	83.3	74	57	77
Academy of Warren	69	< 10	*	3	< 10	*
Academy of International Studies	31	< 10	*	4	< 10	*
Academy for Business and Technology	54	10	18.5	5	< 10	*
Statewide	54,170	15,756	29.1	50,080	30,244	60.4

* Not published by the state.

Source: 2016-17 M-Step results from the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information

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Comments

Arjay

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 9:09am

“ ....... Michigan schools can improve learning and can do it without a huge infusion of cash.” Heresy to the MEA union leaders and to a large number of liberals, but the results don’t lie.

Mary Fox

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 12:23pm

You are deluded if you do not think pay matters. Michigan is losing teachers because NOBODY IS GOING TO PAY 60000-100000 for a degree to make 36000, with poor benefits and no pension or job security. Right-wingers are whining now about shortages.

Arjay

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 7:30pm

And maybe each slice of the pie would be larger if there weren’t so many people eating pie. When I went to school granted over 50 years ago there were very few non-classroom people in the building. Today there are more out of the classroom than in it, thanks to the MEA demands and weak school boards that cave.

Matt

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 7:30pm

Mary, I don't see it stated that pay doesn't matter. But you are right, colleges have priced themselves out of line with the incomes many of their grads are likely to make when out in the real world especially when starting out. But to your point, and not begrudging anyone, Michigan has among the highest average pay for teachers in the country, especially when adjusted to reflect our very low cost of living.

Mary Fox

Fri, 04/27/2018 - 4:29pm

I repeat. NO ONE IS GOING TO PAY 60000 -100000 TO GET A DEGREE THAT STARTS ON AVERAGE AT 36000 A YEAR WITH POOR BENEFITS AND POOR RETIREMENT. Michigan's are skew by older staff. Younger staff is not being paid as teachers were in the past and in the next ten years unless something changes, Michigan will be screwed as far as teachers are concerned. Colleges have the same problem. Nobody is going to get a phd for a part-time job.

duane

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 10:08pm

Mary,

What is surprising is that you see nothing in this article or the Cadillac experience that interests you. You only respond to a comment about money.
The Cadillac experience proves that the culture is critical before anything else including money. The kids see and feel the culture they don't see the money, they respond to the culture not to the money. Why is that so important, the kids do the learning not the teachers or staff.
Have you ever been in a classroom that all the students were getting A's or have they always has a distribution of academic success [A's, B's, C's]? The reality was everything was the same [even the money spent] and yet performance varied. The only difference was the students, they expectations of themselves, the effort they made, and that was all a reaction to their individual cultures. In the case of Cadillac they have create the school culture and made it one of significant impact.

If you want more money, we need to see success. We will support success, it is the continue whine for money while deteriorating performance that causes dwindling support for money to the schools. In my district we now have a fight between the Board and Superintendent [union is in the fight to] over money and declining enrollment and during this bickering no one raise the idea of student learning, it is simply adults talking to adults about money.

Get over the money, learn from Cadillac to start delivering results, then ask for money.

Matt

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 9:45am

Glad see articles showcasing schools that successfully address their problems. And can't help noticing that they didn't sit around crying that they weren't getting any help from the Governor, State Leg. and State Board of Ed and therefore can't do anything. They saw their situation, found money in their existing budget and took action. This can't be the only one out there.

RICK

Sun, 04/29/2018 - 4:27pm

A quick solution, in addition to solutions like those in the article, is to vote out the Republicans who have contributed so much to the total deterioration of our schools (and our roads and other infrastructure). They have just cut and cut in order to repeatedly give the corporations and wealthy more money. The middle class has been hit hard by this kind of short sighted, upward income focussed mentality.
Take look at this article (and most Republicans won't even look at it I suspect):
https://www.vox.com/2018/4/25/17276284/arizona-teacher-strike-tax-cut-fu...
Note that Michigan is on the list of GOP led states where education was sacrificed on the tax cuts for the wealthy altar.

Matt

Tue, 05/01/2018 - 3:38pm

Somehow I missed it that political parties had anything to do with this school's wonderful success. Of course it helps not being fixated on Republicans, Snyder, DeVoses, Koches or any the rest of your Boogie Men. Have you considered a different hobby, maybe fishing?

Dan Moerman

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 9:55am

A milennium ago when I took my daughter to kindergarten, I sat around for a few days, just to watch. I had discussed school with my daughter, and learned that she wanted to "learn how to write my name in script." Sounded good to me. But in that classroom, I saw a young boy who, apparently, didn't know just what a crayon was. He fumbled with it, clearly not knowing which end was up. I realized that this lovely little boy had never had a crayon, or a pencil, let alone a felt pen. I'm not sure what his family income was. . . His father worked for the city, and a real benefit of having him as a neighbor was that ours was one of the very first neighborhoods to have our snow plowed. Any thing more I were to say would be pure guess work. But imagine a 5-year old who doesn't know how to color in a bunny. I do believe that the single most important thing a parent can do for pre-schoolers is read to them every day. Even if one has to read the same book 300 times. Because after about 200 times, s/he will be able to "read" it to you, and will have memorized the way the written words sound. And for heaven sakes, kids' crayons should be deductable on your income tax!!

Ben Laird

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 7:45pm

I enjoyed this article on education. I am retired Michigan teacher with 32 years in the classroom. Teacher pay in Michigan is not the issue. Thank God for the MEA!
So teacher pay is not the issue but funding our schools IS one of the major public education issues in Michigan.
This article points out equitable funding is an issue.
“Michigan funds our schools less equitably than many other states, which affects low-income students of all races,” Duke said. Many high-performing states give added money to poor districts because it costs more in additional staffing and resources to raise student achievement among low-income students.”
This article also points out other states target their funding more effectively than Michigan.
“Florida invested heavily in early literacy, in additional staffing and teacher training, to the tune of $130 million in 2014 alone. By comparison, Michigan allocated $6 million for early literacy coaches in 2017.
Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2010 capping class size at 18 for kindergarten through third grade and 22 for fourth through eighth grades. Florida also has universal pre-K available to all families. Michigan’s pre-K program is available only to low- and moderate-income families, and even among those families an estimated 30,000 4-year-olds still do not have access to high-quality early education.”
This article does not point out the gap between the actual annual per pupil cost of educating a student in Michigan and the actual annual per pupil investment Michigan makes in it’s children. Current data indicates this gap is at least $1000 less per student every year compared to states with students scoring higher on standardized testing.
My experience over the years has been that as Michigan has not kept up with funding the actual cost of education professional educators and local school boards have forced to make tough choices in how to cut costs. Usually this cost cutting involves eliminating “unnecessary” staff.
This article does point to this issue.
“Our students just really don’t have the support, and in some cases our schools don’t have the staffing that some other (states) do,” said Ron Koehler, assistant superintendent of Kent Intermediate School District, which includes Grand Rapids Public Schools. “We’re last in the nation in terms of school nurses, for example. We don’t have as many social workers to deal with issues (as other states).”

Great Job Bridge Magazine!
Ben Laird

duane

Fri, 04/27/2018 - 10:58am

Why is this article the exception, it talks about results, about success, and yet they didn't get a sudden infusion of money to deliver this change in results, while almost all others start with money, more money and never talk about performance/learning results?

I learned a long time ago that when asking others for money [whether for my pay, for a new project, for improvements in the service/facility] the results were always presented first and if the results met expectations then I was asked about how much money, what kind of resources, what types of support.
Why is Michigan education different, why are results always the last thing talked about, why is it about how bad things are, how bad they will get, we are so bad when compared to others?

As best I can tell the there are tens of thousands of students that learn enough from public education to go on to college, earn degrees, and compete internationally for employment. How is that with such success what we have is described as so bad?

I wonder how many elementary school principles across Michigan has spent the inordinate sum for a phone call to Cadillac to simply ask and listen about what they have done differently?

With all your years experience, within the classroom was there a distribution of learning success or did all the students learn equally? If there was a curve of success, what did you attribute it to?

Ben Laird

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 7:47pm

Great Job Bridge Magazine!
Ben Laird

Mike

Sun, 04/29/2018 - 10:55am

This is a good story, a story of local success and children who are better prepared, yet the comments, as usual, show a sharp divide, an unnecessary divide.

It is unfortunate that is the case. The success is based on some new ideas and some old ideas.

Teachers who were unwilling to change were let go. Teachers and staff worked as a team. Kids had food and health care at the school so their basic needs were met, without an income test. Students were held to a standard and given the means and tools to achieve that standard. The State legislature stayed out of their way.

I'd ask the commentators, rather than taking shots at each other to think how these lessons could be applied in their school districts

Barbara Gottschalk

Mon, 04/30/2018 - 9:25am

From 2nd to 59th percentile in two years? This is an extremely rapid gain, almost statistically improbable. I'd have to see additional data before I believe this.

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