MAPSA’s united and diverse coalition of parents, educators, and citizens
advocate for policies that will best shape student success. Students thrive in
dynamic and enduring learning opportunities designed to meet their unique
needs, and their learning ranks first in the nation.
Less regulation, not more will improve academic quality. We do not see expansion
of regulation as a means of improving student achievement in schools.
and a little bit of disruption
We’ve adapted, overcame some of the biggest challenges, and learned new things - but things simply won’t be as they were.
In 1994, charter schools set out to deliver education in a way that put the needs of students and families first - it’s in our DNA to do things like support the whole child, treat educators like professionals and collaborate closely with parents. And yet, Michigan still ranks near the bottom when it comes to academic achievement - and we are just as responsible for that as the traditional public education system.
The public education sector can continue to learn from those outside of the education silo to see how systems change has been successful. A recent poll showed that support for charter schools is up 5% from 2022, to 64% total, and only 22% of Michiganders have an unfavorable opinion of charters, down from 3% since 2020 (Marketing Research Group, 2022).
Demographically, the poll showed that 54.3% of Democrats, 78.3% of Republicans, and 62.8% of Independents support charters - those numbers are up in every category since 2020. Simply put, Michigan families want choices in K-12 education, and charter schools are an essential piece of that puzzle.
As traditional districts continue to discover how to provide more autonomy and flexibility to schools and how to shape teaching as a professional career, it is clear that this two-sector strategy in education is succeeding.
Grit & collaboration
Continue to push the boundaries of innovative education; pilot dynamic pedagogies, build unique school campuses, empower educators, and uncover the best strategies for students.
Continue to advocate for equal funding and equal accountability standards. Raise the collective bar of public education across the state, in both traditional and charter settings.
Identify strategies that lead to the most successful student outcomes; academic performance, student growth, college preparedness and post-secondary enrollment.
Michigan's Charter School Association
123 W Allegan, Ste 750
Lansing, MI 48933
Ph: (517) 374-9167