Michigan lawmakers this year increased state funding for English language learners (ELL) by $12.5 million. However, not all such students will benefit from this increase. Michigan stands alone among 49 states that fund ELL services by excluding students who are nearly proficient in English from its funding formula. State and federal law still require districts to provide services to these students, creating a gap that impacts local districts like the Detroit Public Schools Community District and Hamtramck Public Schools.
Students approaching proficiency are often conversational but may still struggle academically without additional support. Advocates, teachers, and school leaders state that Michigan’s funding gap makes it difficult to provide instruction that would allow these students to transition out of English learner programs. Madeline Mavrogordato, director of the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) at Michigan State University, noted this issue involves "language complexity" and the "level of service" provided to students.
Michigan’s current funding system grants additional dollars based on students’ scores on the WIDA ACCESS English proficiency assessment, which ranges from 1.0 to 6.0. While students scoring 1.0-4.7 are legally required to receive English language development instruction, state funding primarily targets lower proficiency levels. Districts receive $1,998 for scores 1.0-1.9, $1,379 for 2.0-2.9, and $225 for 3.0-3.9. No extra funding is provided for students who score 4.0 and above.
School leaders indicate this funding is inadequate, even for middle-range students, often forcing districts to use other general fund revenue for services. Troy School District Superintendent Richard Machesky said about 90% of his district’s 2025-26 English learner budget came from general funds due to insufficient state allocations. The district received around $607,000 in state funds for approximately 1,900 English learners, allowing for only five English language development specialists. Afrin Alavi, director of Hamtramck Public Schools’ Multilingual Learner Department, reported that about 17% of their ELL students score at the highest levels, leading to "structural deficits" in their budget without dedicated funding for this group.
In the 2024-25 school year, over 104,200 English learners were enrolled in Michigan public schools, representing 7.3% of all students. Approximately 24,000 of these students did not qualify for additional state funding but were still legally required to receive at least 150 minutes of English language development instruction weekly. For the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD), about $6.7 million in additional funding was provided in the 2025-26 school year for over 7,400 English learners. However, DPSCD received no extra money for 1,041 students who scored 4.0 and above on the WIDA test.
DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti stated that concentrating funds at the lowest proficiency levels "does not reflect the reality that students approaching proficiency still need services." The district has used literacy lawsuit settlement money to hire 58 multilingual academic interventionists at 15 schools, but critics argue their qualifications differ from certified ELL teachers and are not a substitute for required instruction. Achievement gaps persist for DPSCD’s English learners: 10.4% met or exceeded English proficiency on the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress in 2025, a 2 percentage point drop from the previous year. The four-year graduation rate for English learners was 79.2%, 3.8 percentage points lower than the district’s overall average.
Teachers and students in the Detroit district report that English learners, particularly those nearing proficiency, often lack necessary services. One senior at Western International High School, an immigrant from Cuba, described how his higher English comprehension in 10th grade led to placement in general education classes. He received no mandated weekly English language development instruction during his sophomore year, struggled, and eventually returned to a tailored ESL class. His teacher, Kristen Schoettle, found it challenging to sufficiently engage him in a class of 35 where other students were learning basic communication. Three other anonymous DPSCD teachers confirmed similar experiences due to limited resources. Bianca Hardy, a DPSCD spokesperson, said the district strategically schedules staff with ELL endorsements for "students with the highest need" while supporting others in core content areas. Hardy also expressed agreement with the assessment that Michigan's current funding approach results in the state being among the lowest nationally in its support for multilingual students, particularly those approaching proficiency.
Advocates suggest more funding could lead to earlier transitions out of specialized programs and improved success in core classes. An EPIC report from 2025 found nearly half of Michigan’s English learners remained in specialized programs after six years, implying unmet instructional needs. A 2021 third-party report, commissioned by the Michigan School Finance Research Collaborative, recommended substantial ELL funding increases—from $3,500 to $7,500 per student based on WIDA scores—and additional funding for some higher-scoring students. While lawmakers expressed intent in this year's budget to annually increase ELL funding to meet these recommendations, no timeline was set.