A Survey of Michigan Parents Who Use School Choice
How School Funding Works in Michigan
This publication presents a brief overview of some of the key components of Michigan’s school funding system, if it can be called that. The goal is to provide a general understanding of how tax dollars reach schools and what they are intended for. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2016
This is the 14th edition of the Mackinac Center's annual school privatization survey. We ask every school district in the state if they outsource one of the three main noninstructional services — custodial, transportation and food services. The results from this year's survey show that 70 percent of school districts contract out for at least one of these services. … more
A Survey of Michigan's Private Education Sector
According to data collected by the state, Michigan has 601 private schools that enroll about 113,000 students — about 7 percent of all students in the state. All but 14 of Michigan’s 84 counties have at least one private school operating within their boundaries. Despite the fact that private schools in Michigan are widespread, there is very little publicly available information about them. In response to this need, the Mackinac Center, with the help of the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools, conducted a survey of private school administrators from all across the state. … more
School Spending and Student Achievement in Michigan: What's the Relationship?
Does Michigan devote enough money to primary and secondary education? Do school districts receive enough revenue to ensure the vast majority of enrolled students graduate college or career ready? How much does it cost to provide a quality educational experience? These are the types of questions for which the Michigan Legislature recently paid nearly $400,000 to obtain some answers.
These answers would clearly be helpful to policymakers who determine how many tax dollars to allocate to schools. But these concerns about the adequate level of school funding are based in part on the common assumption that spending more on K-12 schools will generate better academic outcomes. A more fundamental question that policymakers might want to answer before determining the appropriate level of funding for schools is: What is the relationship between school spending and student achievement in Michigan?
That is the question this paper attempts to answer.
To read a response to a critique of this study, click here. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2013
The Public School Market in Michigan: An Analysis of Schools of Choice
This study finds that students enter districts that have higher graduation rates and higher test scores. On average, Schools of Choice students chose districts with higher pupil-teacher ratios, lower expenditures per pupil and higher average teacher salaries.
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A New Turnaround Model: Michigan's Highland Park Goes Charter
During the first year of charter school operation, students demonstrated significant learning gains, with some grades posting academic growth far above the average Michigan student. … more
Michigan vs. Florida
Student achievement, education policies and proposals for reform
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2011
Despite increased spending in Michigan public schools, districts regularly face tough choices allocating their resources. This study surveys the privatization of the three major noninstructional services: food, custodial and transportation services. The findings are that over half of public schools have privatized at least one of these services; what is more, about 93 percent report satisfaction with the private-sector services they receive, which spells progress towards improving services while spending less. … more
Revenues and Spending of Michigan's Urban, Suburban, Town and Rural School Districts
Virtual Learning in Michigan's Schools
Virtual learning is not for every student, but it’s not science fiction, either. Right now in Michigan, it’s being used by thousands of students in hundreds of virtual courses in urban, rural and suburban school districts. In fact, Michigan has been seen as a national leader in virtual learning.
This study analyzes the financial costs and academic benefits of virtual learning, and it explores how this innovation could further benefit Michigan public school students. … more
School Funding in Michigan: Common Myths
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2010
The largest impetus for contracting is cost savings. The survey found that first-year contracts alone are expected to save districts $16.7 million cumulatively. … more
Michigan School Privatization Survey 2009
A Teacher Quality Primer
For Michigan School Officials, State Policymakers, Media and Residents
The Edmonton Public Schools Story
Internationally Renowned Superintendent Angus McBeath Chronicles His District’s Successes and Failures
School Choice Snapshot: A 2006 Survey of U.S. Policy and Advocacy Organizations
An Analysis of Proposal 5: The ‘K-16’ Michigan Ballot Measure
Recommendations to Strengthen Civil Society and Balance Michigan’s State Budget — 2nd Edition
Forging Consensus
Recommendations to Strengthen Civil Society and Balance Michigan's State Budget
An Analysis of Fiscal-Year 2002-03 Appropriations and Recommendations for 2003-04
More than 200 specific recommendations from Mackinac Center analysts total more than $2 billion in cost savings and revenue enhancements. All budget reductions, including those involving federal funds, total $3.7 billion. 157 pages. … more
The Six Habits of Fiscally Responsible Public School Districts
Keeping Michigan on Track:
A Blueprint for a Freer, More Prosperous State

The Case for Choice in Schooling:
Restoring Parental Control of Education
The Cost of Remedial Education
The Impact of Limited School Choice on Public School Districts
School Choice in Michigan: A Primer for Freedom in Education
The primer examines the history of government-funded and operated schooling, explains why nonmarket-oriented school reform efforts ultimately fail, and describes various school choice proposals including charter schools, inter-district choice, vouchers, tax credits, and universal tuition tax credits. Helpful appendices explain ways for grass-roots citizens to help advance school choice. … more
The Impact of School Choice on School Employee Labor Unions
This study examines union membership rates among Michigans public, charter, and private school teachers and found that while teachers in every public school district are represented by-and pay dues to-a union, only 5 out of 139 charter and 2 out of over one thousand private schools employ unionized workforces.
The study concludes that school employee unions-including the Michigan Education Association and the Michigan Federation of Teachers-have powerful political and financial incentives to spend millions of dollars to prevent more parents from being able to choose non-unionized charter or private schools for their children. … more
How Reliable Are Michigan High School Economics Textbooks?
This review of 16 of the most commonly used economics textbooks in Michigan high schools uses 12 criteria-including issues of trade, taxation, and the role of government-to evaluate which texts are and are not effective at presenting students with a balanced and accurate perspective on the modern market economy. Each text is graded, from A to F, on its ability to clearly instruct students in the "economic way of thinking."
An abridged 27-page written copy of the report may be ordered normally, or the full reviews of each textbook may be downloaded at no charge via www.mackinac.org. … more
Unused Capacity in Privately Funded Michigan Schools
Keeping Michigan on Track
A Blueprint for Governor Engler and the 90th Legislature
This report's five sections offer the Governor and the Legislature 41 specific recommendations that will strengthen property rights protection, reform labor law to protect worker rights, improve education for Michigan children, spur economic growth and development, and enhance the state's transportation infrastructure. … more

Collective Bargaining: Bringing Education to the Table
The Need for Debt Policy in Michigan Public Schools
The Universal Tuition Tax Credit: A Proposal to Advance Parental Choice in Education
Do Private Schools Serve Difficult-to-Educate Students?
Declining Standards at Michigan Universities

Are Michigan's History Textbooks Reliable?

Outcome-Based Education: Miracle Cure or Plague?

Teacher, Inc.: A Private Option for Educators

Doing More With Less: Competitive Contracting for School Support Services

Making Schools Work: Contracting Options for Better Management

Michigan Education Special Services Association: The MEA's Money Machine

Modern Schools for Michigan: An Outline for Educational Reform
Proposal A: An Analysis of the June 2, 1993, Statewide Ballot Question
Michigan's Experiment with Public School Choice: A First Year Assessment
