The State of Education in Michigan

Lansing, MI – Yesterday, Michigan Forward released its latest episode of MF Unfiltered. In this discussion,  MFN Press Secretary Gabe Butzke and MFN Senior Director of Strategic Operations Beth DeShone tackle some of the biggest education questions in Michigan.

For years, Michigan has been sliding in the education rankings. The state is now 44th in literacy and 31st in math, per the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). House Republicans have been fighting for long-term solutions and working to get students and schools back on track, but policies passed by Lansing Democrats in their trifecta have sadly left students even further behind.

Between 2023 and 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, in league with her union allies and activists, signed bills that gutted A-F grading for schools, lowered accountability measures in the classroom, and repealed the third-grade reading standards.

Beth and Gabe discuss how Michigan can get back on track with programs like the Science of Reading and the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC), which Whitmer has yet to opt into:

“Education in Michigan is in crisis, and that crisis has only been made worse by policies pushed by Gretchen Whitmer,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “It’s time to stop listening to the unions and Lansing Democrats, and start listening to parents.”