The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has released its 2025 Michigan Context and Performance Report Card evaluating the performance of public elementary and middle schools across the state. The CAP Report takes into consideration both test scores and student socioeconomic backgrounds to conduct a more accurate assessment of how well schools are teaching children.

Traditional school rankings often overlook the impact of socioeconomic factors on student achievement. The Mackinac Center's report card addresses this by adjusting standardized test scores to account for these variables, providing a more accurate reflection of a school's effectiveness. This method ensures that schools educating students from diverse economic backgrounds are evaluated on a level playing field. The Mackinac Center’s work includes a study and a database for Michigan residents to see how their individual elementary and middle schools are performing.

Key Findings:

• Top-Performing Schools: The report identifies the top 100 public elementary and middle schools in Michigan, highlighting institutions that excel in delivering quality education relative to their student demographics. Dearborn Public Schools ranked highly once again, with five schools in the top 30.

• Geographical Insights: The analysis includes a breakdown of top-performing schools across different regions – urban, suburban and rural – offering a detailed view of educational excellence throughout the state.

• COVID Results: The COVID-19 pandemic and government-imposed lockdowns damaged student achievement. The report looks at the schools with the largest gains and biggest losses coming out of the COVID era.

"Our goal is to provide a resource that offers a fair and comprehensive evaluation of school performance," said Dr. Molly Macek, director of education policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and author of the report. "By considering the socioeconomic context, we can better understand and recognize the efforts of schools and educators that are making significant strides in education."

The 2025 report card serves as a valuable tool for stakeholders to make informed decisions and implement strategies aimed at enhancing educational outcomes. It encourages a deeper analysis of factors influencing student performance and promotes policies that support effective teaching and learning environments.

For a complete list of school rankings and to see where your school stands, visit mackinac.org/CAP2025.