Michigan鈥檚 high-school graduation rate reached a , but test scores indicate only left prepared for college.
Pointing to that seemingly contradictory data and other concerning metrics, education groups 鈥� and a former Michigan governor 鈥� are proposing to reimagine high school and recalibrate expectations for graduation.
They say students should be required to show they鈥檝e mastered skills, not just sat through classes, and need more exposure to career options in a state where of graduates attend college. With , they say the time for change is now.
Reformers are eyeing graduation requirements established more than two decades ago. The law is not 鈥渞esponsive to the needs and futures of all students,鈥� and there鈥檚 no evidence it improved graduation rates, according to Launch Michigan, one of the groups pushing change.
鈥淭he Michigan Merit Curriculum still really hems kids in,鈥� Harrison Community Schools Superintendent Judy Walton told Bridge Michigan. 鈥淢ost kids will still take the same courses as their peers regardless if they have different futures and visions for themselves.鈥�
Walton is backing the 鈥� 鈥� reform blueprint proposed by Launch Michigan, a bipartisan group of labor, business and education interests.
Instead of simply completing courses to advance, students should complete portfolios, capstones and 鈥渁rtifacts鈥� like resumes they can use outside of school.
Launch also wants schools to provide 鈥渃areer-focused education鈥� for every student and personalized education plans.
Venessa Keesler, the group鈥檚 CEO and president, suspects Michigan鈥檚 high rate of chronic absenteeism is the result of student disengagement, which the Michigan Education Guarantee seeks to address.
Through online coursework and COVID-19, students learned their 鈥減hysical presence鈥� in school is not required, Keesler told Bridge Michigan. 鈥淎nd so they鈥檙e less inclined to go just to sit there and do something that鈥檚 not very engaging, or that feels disconnected from their real life.鈥�
Two other groups are working on similar proposals to make Michigan schools less rigid and more flexible for the benefit of students. That includes rethinking state requirements for districts to provide 1,098 hours and 180 days of school per year and face penalties if attendance is too low on a given day.
Growing momentum for changing up high school
Across the country, several states are and aiming to better connect students to the skills needed after high school.
Separate from Launch Michigan, former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder is pitching a potential law change that would let districts create a 鈥減ublic innovative program鈥� in which students could earn credits toward graduation in more and different ways.
That could include apprenticeships, job shadows, work-based learning programs, 鈥渆xtended learning opportunities鈥� outside of school and other options to 鈥渂etter prepare students for postsecondary and career options,鈥� according to draft legislation that Snyder is sharing with various officials in Lansing.
Districts would operate the innovation programs but could partner with a private education management firm. They鈥檇 need sign-off by both the local teachers union and state.
For districts that opt in to the innovation model, students would be assigned both an 鈥渋nnovation coach鈥� and a 鈥渢eacher content specialist鈥� to oversee and evaluate their work, which may come outside of the traditional classroom.
鈥淟et鈥檚 look at kids and say, 鈥業f they can go faster, how can they have a plan to go faster? If they need more help, how do we get them more help?,鈥欌�� Snyder told Bridge, arguing his idea would be more engaging for teachers too.
Meanwhile, a group of more than 80 superintendents are also advocating for more personalized instruction in schools through the Future of Learning Council.
If a student can demonstrate mastery for a course, 鈥渨e shouldn鈥檛 hold you back in regards to time,鈥� or give busy work, said council executive director David Richards.
Instead, 鈥渢he goal is to say, 鈥楢re you ready for a deeper exposure into the content?鈥� Or maybe there is an off campus learning experience that you鈥檙e ready for.鈥�
Michigan already provides and career technical education opportunities. But access to these .
鈥極bviously necessary鈥�
It鈥檚 unclear if the proposals will lead to changes anytime soon. Michigan鈥檚 divided Legislature is finalizing , and bipartisan compromise can be difficult in election years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful that there鈥檚 this much attention being paid to reform,鈥� said State Rep. Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw. 鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously necessary.鈥�
But reform efforts may need to wait until there is a new governor to ensure buy-in by the state鈥檚 next executive, Kelly said.
State Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, said it 鈥渕akes sense鈥� to look at options for students, but she has reservations about changing hours and day requirements, an idea referenced in the Launch Michigan plan.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e trying to fight chronic absenteeism, while at the same time considering days and hours requirements for high school kids, those two things don鈥檛 seem compatible.鈥�
Education is a , according to our informal election-year survey, and fixing the state K-12 system is also a priority for several gubernatorial candidates.
Republican Tom Leonard recently told Bridge the state鈥檚 27% college readiness rate is .鈥� Democrat Jocelyn Benson said she wants a 鈥渃lear, rigorous, comprehensive college and career readiness expectation that every K-12 school can utilize鈥� for graduation requirements.
Independent Mike Duggan said he wants to rebuild career and technical education programs, give students more opportunities to earn college credits or industry credentials before graduation and create a new office to align high school programs to employer demand. .
Among the states, Michigan ranked 30th for college readiness in 2024, according to analysis from .
Employment, trade connections
In Allen Park, Melvindale High teacher Kelly Young-Raymore said she wants to see some changes to high school including a 鈥渃ivics seal鈥� that demonstrates 鈥渨e鈥檙e actually graduating fully formed citizens.鈥� But she told Bridge she does not want change that 鈥渃heapens鈥� the rigor.
One idea she has is for seniors to attend class part of the week and work jobs for the other days where teachers check in on them as career coaches.
鈥淚 tell all my kids, all my students, to try to leave high school with employable skills and it鈥檚 difficult because a lot of kids don鈥檛 have access to that,鈥� she said.
That may be particularly important in areas of the state where fewer students enroll in college. Currently, students at least 18 course credits to graduate with a diploma. New high schoolers are also required to complete a personal finance credit.
Lee Graham, executive director of the Operating Engineers 324 union and Launch Michigan board member, said he hopes any potential changes will lead to more middle school and high schoolers being exposed to trade careers.
For example, students could come directly to where operating engineers use heavy machinery, instead of the engineers visiting students for a career day.
鈥淥ur kids are so done with traditional school. They鈥檙e bored out of their minds to just sit there and get talked to,鈥� Walton said.
The state allows students to enroll in a personal curriculum, which includes planning between a student, their family and their high school. Statewide, about 13,300 or 2.9% of high school students have a personal curriculum, according to the state Department of Education. That鈥檚 up from five years ago.
State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko has met with Launch, Snyder and the education groups proposing changes to graduation requirements, said spokesperson Bob Wheaton. Maleyko is currently on a statewide listening tour to inform his efforts to revisit the .
While lawmakers are debating other education policy changes as well, it鈥檚 鈥渁 really big imperative for Michigan to get serious about updating our grad standards because we鈥檙e going to be left further behind,鈥� Keesler said.
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