President's Message

Every year too many young people in Michigan drop out of school before getting a high school diploma – 16,000 youths, or 11 percent of students who should be graduating.

As bad as that troubling statistic is, if you drill down into the data – as Michigan’s Children has done – you will find something even more disturbing:

The percentage of African American and Hispanic youths who would have graduated their senior year but dropped out is twice as high as the percentage of White kids.

Demographic data tell us that within a few decades, the majority of children will be children of color. To turn Michigan’s economy around we should do everything possible to help ALL children succeed.

• Expanding opportunities for a 5th or 6th year of high school.
• Create alternative pathways for struggling students to recover credits and return to school after dropping out.
• Provide more and better pre-school programs.
• Ensure access to adequate health care.

The stakes are high for our children and our state’s economic future. Dropouts earn less than half of college graduates, meaning they spend less in local businesses and pay fewer taxes. Now is the time for the Legislature to enact real reforms that will make Michigan a place where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

And now is the time for your voice to be heard. Help us help kids succeed. Our state’s future succeeds depends on how well we prepare our children for the global economy.

Jack Kresnak, President and CEO, Michigan’s Children