A Research Publication

Michigan English Learners: State-of-the-State

November 2025

This State of the State report provides the first comprehensive, statewide portrait of Michigan’s English learners (EL) population. This report documents trends in ELs’ enrollment, reclassification, and academic achievement, as well as educator preparation and funding that supports EL services. Michigan’s EL population represents one of the fastest-growing groups in the state, with ELs making up over 7% of the K-12 student population and comprising more than 100,0000 students.

Key Findings:

• Nearly half of Michigan’s ELs are considered “long-term English learners” having been EL-classified for more than 5 years. Long-term ELs tend to face barriers to accessing rigorous academic curriculum in middle and high school.
• While reclassification rates declined during the COVID-19 Pandemic, they have since rebounded to pre-Pandemic levels.
• On average, reclassified ELs score above average on the M-STEP ELA and math assessments. Reclassified ELs have the highest average M-STEP ELA and math scores compared to current ELs and students who have never been classified as ELs.
• The Michigan legislature provides supplemental funding for ELs with WIDA ACCESS scores from 1.0-3.9. Funding remains far below the amounts originally intended by the legislature, and Michigan does not provide funding for ELs with WIDA ACCESS scores of 4.0 or above.
• Michigan’s Grow Your Own Staff Grant, Section 41 funding, and Title III National Professional Development Grants have assisted with increasing the number of teachers trained and prepared to meet the needs and development of ELs, with the number of educators with ESL or bilingual endorsements increasing from 2,697 in 2018-19 to 4,268 in 2023-24.