Over the past two years, there have been calls for racial justice in nearly every sphere of social and political life, including the field of education. As much of the nation reeled at yet another life violently taken at the hands of a police officer, education workers faced the challenge of responding to local and national demands for policy…

States use their accountability systems to identify low-performing schools, which can receive added support and are expected to improve. Alternative schools serve students whose needs are not met in a regular school. They often serve at-risk students who are struggling academically or behaviorally. Given this unique population, the Government…

Utilizing longitudinal data from the national Schools to Watch (STW) program, this paper examines school demographic characteristics and teacher ratings of the implementation of STW criteria in STW schools and schools that have applied but have not yet been designated as a STW. The STW program was established by the National Forum to Accelerate…

Much of the literature estimating disproportionality in special education identification rates has focused on socioeconomic status, race, and gender. However, recent evidence suggests that a student's school starting age also impacts the likelihood they receive special education services, particularly in the early grades. I build on the evidence…

Though charter schools are a relatively new phenomenon in American education, they have been in existence long enough now to allow for evaluation of operational outcomes relative to traditional public schools. Using a comprehensive data set for the State of Michigan that spans the years 1995 through 2006, this article aims to provide such an…

The State Board of Education has recommended the implementation of a new, more rigorous curriculum for Michigan high schools. All students would be required to take four years of English; one year each of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and an additional math class in the senior year; one year each of Biology, Physics or Chemistry, and one…

Analyzes changes in the teacher salary schedules of Michigan school districts between 1970 and 1980. Starting salaries decreased by an average of 20 percent over the decade; maximum salaries decreased by 15 percent. Student enrollment changes were a predictor of the changes in maximum salaries. (MLF)

In order to test the contention that there is a core of variables whose presence or absence is crucial for the emergence and maintenance of a climate of success or failure and of competence or incompetence, data from pairs of high and low achieving schools matched for percent white, locale, and socio-economic status were analyzed. (Author/JM)

A 2002 study, "Race in American Public Schools: Rapidly Resegregating School Districts," identified Michigan as the state with the most segregated schools in the nation. The present data brief looks at changes in the distribution of Michigan's African American students between 1992-93 and 2004-05 to determine if African American students…

Students at 19 Michigan elementary schools in 17 districts showed a dramatic improvement in Michigan Educational Assessment Program test score results from 1976 to 1979. A three-pronged effort to identify the factors associated with the improvement involved a computer analysis of school demographic data, field interviews, and a symposium of 107…

This study has four major objectives. They are: (1) to describe Detroit's population and school enrollment trends as they have occurred in the past and as they are likely to occur in the future; (2) to describe the extent of segregation of students by race in Detroit's public schools throughout the past decade; (3) to describe the extent of…

Findings of a study to establish the determinants and effects of urban to rural population migration patterns in Osceola County, Michigan, where a 27.6% increase (4,090 people) occurred during the 1970's, illustrate typical effects of population migration turnaround on nonmetropolitan schools. The study revealed that school facilities were…

This document is a graphic collection of statistical data compiled by the Michigan Department of Education that reflects some of the important educational trends in Michigan. The report is organized in five major sections. The first section describes student enrollment trends and the recent status of various programs designed to serve certain…

This report provides data concerning the racial/ethnic composition of Michigan's elementary and secondary public school students and staff. The data on students were obtained by asking teachers to estimate the racial/ethnic compositions of their classrooms, utilizing the categories American Indian, black, Asian American, Latino, and white.…

Michigan's "rust bowl" days are over. Although the work force is still too dependent on auto manufacturing, the economy is diversifying into trade, distribution, and financial and business services. The new jobs created are mostly in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The state's population is very stable with few migrations…