Fast Facts:

Law passed: 1993

Number of charter schools: 287

Number of charter students: 154,000

Cap on the number of schools allowed: No

Virtual charters allowed: Yes

Charter Law Analysis:

AUTHORIZERS: State public universities authorize the majority of charter schools. Active university authorizers in Michigan include Bay Mills Community College, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Northern Michigan University, Oakland University, and Saginaw Valley State University. All authorized charters are subject to review by the state board of education for compliance with the law.

GROWTH: There is no cap on the number of charter schools that may be approved, except that virtual charter schools are limited to 2,500 students in their first year of operation, not more than 5,000 students in its second year of operation, and not more than 10,000 students in its third and subsequent years of operation. The law provides that the total statewide enrollment in virtual schools may not exceed 2% of the state's public school student population.

OPERATIONS: Schools must request a waiver from specific regulations as opposed to a blanket waiver but given the independence of their authorizers they are allowed wide latitude to achieve their goals. Authorizers are free from the laws and regulations of the state education department..

EQUITY: Charters receive the same allowance per pupil as traditional public schools, but no per-pupil or local facilities funding. Per statute, charter schools receive a "foundation allowance" from the state and generally have equal access to categorical funding. These provisions should result in 100% of state and school district operations funding following each student. In reality, the amount of foundation allowance is dependent on the district in which the charter school is located, as Michigan law provides that charter schools must receive the same foundation as the district in which they are located or a state maximum foundation allowance, whichever is less. This approach results in the majority of charters receiving a smaller foundation allowance from the state than the local district in which they are located. Michigan law requires intermediate school districts to share regional enhancement property tax dollars with charter schools on an equitable basis. In 2023, charter school supporters successfully worked with the legislature to overturn a governor-proposed 20% funding cut to virtual charter schools, ensuring that level funding was maintained for these schools.

USE OF STUDENT DATA IN EVALUATING TEACHER PREP

"Michigan utilizes student achievement data to measure teacher preparation accountability, yet the NCTQ recommends that the state dissagregate data by program rather than institution, to further examine program effectiveness."

This is just one indicator from The National Council on Teacher Quality, which collects and analyzes states on how well their policies and practices lead to well-prepared teachers. They collect data on state laws and regulations concerning the preparation of teachers, the policies that govern their oversight and the contracts that guide their employment. Learn more about your state here.