At the 2026 Mackinac Policy Conference, The Kresge Foundation President & CEO Rip Rapson moderated a timely conversation on what it will take to make Michigan a top 10 state for education. 

The panel featured Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District; Elizabeth Birr Moje, dean of the University of Michigan School of Education; and Jeff Donofrio, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan. Together, they offered a candid view of where the state stands today, and a hopeful look at what is possible when systems align around children, families and communities. 

The backdrop for the discussion was Michigan’s steady decline in national education rankings over the past two decades. Frequent policy shifts, leadership changes and inconsistent investment have created a cycle of starts and stops. The result is progress that is difficult to sustain and too slow for the students who depend on it. 

The decline of the state’s educational outcomes has significant economic implications for Michigan and for its future. Donofrio described rebuilding the education system as Michigan’s greatest leverage point for long-term economic growth. 

Michigan’s current system, he noted, was designed for a different era, one in which a high school diploma alone could secure a stable, middle-class job. Today’s economy demands stronger outcomes, clearer pathways, and deeper connections between education and the workforce. 

“Every school district in Michigan underperforms when compared to peers in top-performing states,” Donofrio said. “So, this is an all-of-us problem. We owe it to our kids, we owe it to the teachers and administrators dedicating their lives to helping our kids succeed.” 

A model for what’s possible in Michigan schools

Despite these challenges, a powerful example of what aligned systems can achieve is already unfolding in Detroit at The School at Marygrove. 

The cradle-to-career partnership among Kresge, Detroit Public Schools Community District, the University of Michigan, Starfish Family Services, and the Marygrove Conservancy demonstrates how coordinated investment and collaboration can drive results. 

At Marygrove, students move through a continuous educational pathway from early childhood through high school and into college and careers. The approach integrates: 

• High-quality, project-based curriculum connected to real-world learning; 
• Teacher preparation rooted in practice and ongoing coaching;
• Health, wellness and family supports embedded within the school community ;
• Career pathways that help students see a clear future beyond graduation.

The results of this comprehensive educational effort are promising. Students at Marygrove are achieving at or above state averages in several areas, graduation rates are high, and more families are choosing to stay in the neighborhood. 

Vitti noted that investing in schools is also an investment in neighborhoods. When families can see a clear path from early childhood through high school, they are more likely to stay, invest, and build community. 

“That’s what’s happening at Marygrove,” Vitti said. “It is revitalizing the neighborhood and happening in one place which creates synergy, partnership, and impact.” 

Vitti also emphasized the role of philanthropy in enabling this kind of innovation. 

“Kresge said, ‘Here’s an investment, but you as the experts tell us what we need to do differently to make a difference,’” he said. “We don’t have enough Kresges.” 

Addressing the whole child and the whole system

Moje underscored that education outcomes cannot be separated from the broader conditions shaping students’ lives. 

Challenges like chronic absenteeism are often tied to factors beyond the classroom, including health and mental health needs, housing instability and transportation barriers. 

“Just like the social determinants of health, I say what about the health determinants of learning,” said Moje. “They’re related. So, I think that’s why a system’s approach is so critical.” 

Efforts in Detroit, including school-based health hubs and expanded family supports, are helping address these challenges directly and reinforce the importance of seeing students as whole people. 

At the same time, district leaders are advancing new approaches to engagement and accountability. These include student-centered surveys that ask whether learners feel “loved, challenged and prepared,” and financial incentives that encourage consistent attendance. 

Together, these strategies help build a culture where students feel both supported and motivated to succeed. 

(Listen to how Dean Elizabeth Moje is building educational bridges in Detroit in our PathBreakers podcast)

Preparing students for the future

Another focus of the discussion was redefining what a high school diploma should represent. 

Panelists emphasized the need to move beyond “seat time” requirements toward systems that measure mastery, readiness and real-world experience. In Detroit, new diploma pathways, including career, honors and arts tracks, are helping students connect their interests to tangible futures in the workforce or higher education. 

This kind of intentional design, leaders said, is essential to rebuilding trust in the system and ensuring that every student sees a meaningful path forward. 

From local success to statewide change

While Marygrove offers a compelling model, the panel stressed that scaling this kind of progress will require stronger alignment at the state level. 

That includes: 

• Clear, shared goals for student outcomes; 
• Consistent and equitable funding across all districts;
• Strong accountability systems paired with meaningful support; 
• Long-term policy stability that outlasts political cycles. 

Many of these solutions are already known and, in some cases, already underway in places like Detroit. 

“It can’t be exactly replicated, but that shouldn’t be our goal,” said Moje. “These are ideas that can be translated.” 

A defining moment for Michigan

As the conversation concluded, panelists pointed to growing momentum around education as a top statewide priority. 

Transforming Michigan’s education system will require sustained focus, cross-sector collaboration, and a willingness to move beyond long-standing debates toward shared commitments rooted in both accountability and equity. 

This conversation was part of the session titled “From Cradle to Career: What It Takes to Make Michigan a Top 10 Education State. You can read a recap and watch a recording of the discussion on the Detroit Regional Chamber website.