Sometimes, it’s difficult to appreciate how students from vastly different Michigan school districts perform over time.
That’s why bubbles help.
Using research from Stanford University and Bridge Magazine’s Academic State Champs, this series of charts helps show how students in more than 500 Michigan public districts grow over time.
In the first two charts, on third and eighth grade, you can see how family structure and income appear to predict student success. (Click on the buttons to toggle between the two grades.) When you look at overall gains (click on the the ‘see total gains’ button) you see that income is not as powerful a predictor: Students from all income levels have the ability to gain five grades or more during the five years from third to eighth grade.
Put your cursor on the bubbles to see which districts they are. The bubbles’ size indicates district population. Richer districts are to the right of the vertical line, poorer ones to the left.
Click to see 3rd grade Click to see 8th grade Click to see total gains
Third grade proficiency
Eighth grade proficiency
Total gains (in grade levels), 3rd to 8th grade
Academic State Champs
Poverty doesn’t always predict school success in Michigan
See how your Michigan school district compares on academic growth
Interactive chart: See how wealth affects achievement in Michigan schools
Slideshows
Top 10 large Michigan school districts for growth
Thank you to our Education Watch sponsors
Bridge Michigan Education Watch is made possible by generous financial support from our sponsors. Sponsorship supports our independent journalism mission but does not constitute sponsor endorsement of individual articles or editorial content. Bridge Michigan journalism remains fact- and data-driven and independent at all times.
Please visit the About page for more information and to subscribe to Education Watch. Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact Emma Carr.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under our Republication Guidelines. Questions? Email republishing@bridgemi.com
