More than 50,000 students left Michigan public schools this year. Where did they go?

Jan 05, 20210

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Kari Shaler walks with her children (from left) Kayleigh, MacKenzie and Jonathan to begin their first day of school at Cummings Elementary School on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. MacKenzie is starting 1st grade while Kayleigh and Jonathan, who are twins, are beginning kindergarten. Principal David Martini is also pictured top right. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Cory Morse | MLive.com

More than 50,000 students have fled Michigan's K-12 public schools this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a mass exodus that could amount to millions of dollars in lost school funding from the state.

School leaders are now tasked with finding those students and bringing them back to the public school system next year. But the return of those students is not a guarantee, as thousands of Michigan families have opted for alternatives like homeschooling and charter schools amid the pandemic.

"Every child is important," State Superintendent Michael Rice said in a recent op-ed. "To lose even one is too many."

https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/01/more-than-50000-students-left-michigan-public-schools-this-year-where-did-they-go.html