Fewer Children In Michigan Schools But Bigger Staffs

The number of children enrolled in Michigan's K-12 public schools has fallen in recent years, yet school districts have not cut their staffing levels to reflect that decline.

The number of individuals employed by public school fell 2.3% in 2020-21 from the previous year for new total of 200,140 full-time jobs. But that figure is still higher than previous years, despite ongoing drops in enrollment.

The state’s definition of school staff combines all teaching positions, including day-to-day substitute teachers, aides and administrative positions, as well as noninstructional jobs.

For example, in the 2011-12 school year, Michigan public schools had 196,965 full-time jobs, with 1,582,168 students enrolled. By 2020-21, the number of employees had risen to 200,140 full-time public school staffers serving just 1,437,612 students - 9% fewer than a decade earlier.

The employment data comes from the state of Michigan.