Nearly three quarters of Michigan high school students are unprepared for college, according to data from the Michigan League for Public Policy.
Students who are told they aren’t prepared end up attending higher education or seeking post-secondary education less often than those who are considered prepared.
Standardized test scores, like the ACT and SAT, are used to measure college readiness.
Students are considered “college and career ready” if they score a 480 or above in reading and writing, and a 530 and above in math. On the ACT, students with a benchmark score in certain areas indicate “college readiness.”
Scores are declining among K-12 students in Michigan, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization.
Michigan’s children are learning less than kids in every other Midwest state, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In fourth grade math, Michigan performed well below the national average, despite spending more on K-12 education in recent years.
Education will likely be a hot-button issue for candidates campaigning for governor in 2026, as political promises to push Michigan into the top-ten highest performing states when it comes to education.
During Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s state of the state address earlier this year, the governor acknowledged Michigan’s struggles boosting student performance.
“The reality is we invest more per pupil than most states and achieve bottom 10 results,” Whitmer said. “It’s unacceptable.”
On-time graduation increases as college readiness declines
High school graduation rates in Michigan are up, yet college readiness is declining.
The Michigan League for Public Policy suggests students who do not meet college readiness benchmarks are less likely to successfully complete entry-level college requirements without remediation courses.
In the coming years, the state will attempt to buck an expected decrease in the total number of high school graduates by boosting its population.
The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education estimates the total number of high school graduates in the U.S. will peak this year at between 3.8 million and 3.9 million.
After 2025, they expect the population to decline at varying rates of speed through the next decade and a half. When 2030 comes, the number of high school graduates is forecast to be 3.1% lower than 2023 levels.
By 2041, the report authors anticipate about 3.4 million high school graduates, or about 10.5% fewer than in 2023 and 13% fewer than expected this year.
State investment
Michigan has deployed programs in recent years to take away the financial burden for students. Michigan Reconnect, the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Michigan Tuition Grant provide funds for students, though most still rely on student loans.
Because of a legacy of intergenerational wealth gaps, 78% of Black students rely on undergraduate student loans compared to 60% of white students, according to researchers.
The number of children enrolled in the Great Start Readiness Program, Michigan’s main public pre-K option, has reached an all-time high, according to the report.
Authors said increased investments and the state has raised the income eligibility limit have opened space for more children.
