Charter Schools in Michigan
Under Michigan law, one of four entities may grant charters to independent groups of educators or community members to operate an independent public school:
- School boards of local K-12 districts
- Intermediate school district boards
- Community college boards
- State university boards
Out of concern that state universities, notably Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, were granting a large number of charters, the state placed limits on the number of university-granted charters. The limits, which follow, apply only to state university boards:
- No more than 85 charters through 1996
- 100 through 1997
- 125 through 1998
- No more than 150 thereafter
No more than half the numbers allowed under the cap may be authorized by any single state university board.
Central Michigan University has authorized 43 of the 74 charter schools in the state.
SOURCES: Central Michigan University charter school office; Hudson Institute report, “Charter Schools in Action: What Have We Learned?’'
