State superintendent to retire in October
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Dr. Michael F. Rice, the current state superintendent of public instruction, announced his retirement Friday. His retirement is effective Oct. 3.
'It has been an honor to serve Michigan's 1.4 million public school children over the last six school years,' said Rice. 'It's been a privilege to work with the State Board of Education and the state's talented teachers, students, parents, administrators, support staff, Governor Whitmer, state legislators, education organizations, broader community, and the dedicated staff of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), small in number but mighty in battle, to improve education for our children.'
The State Board of Education selected Rice for state superintendent in 2019, after which he led the reconstruction of Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan. During his tenure, the state reached the following goals outlined in that plan:
Reached the highest four-year graduation rate in history, 82.4%, in 2024
Increased student participation and scores in secondary school programs such as dual enrollment and Advanced Placement beyond pre-pandemic levels
Implemented universal free breakfast and lunch for all public school
Increased the children's mental health and school safety budget from $31 million to more than $250 million
Increased teacher preparation plan enrollment by 71%
Pushed for the implementation of literacy/dyslexia legislation, which was passed into law in Fall 2024
Secured more funding for low-income, disabled, and rural students, as well as students learning English
Saw the state preschool program tie for first place in quality nationwide
Saw the percentage of adults age 25 to 65 with postsecondary education rise to 51.8%
The state also raised its summative test results in 14 of 20 categories in spring 2023 and 13 of 20 categories in spring 2024 and implemented a diverse MDE Student Advisory Council.
'It has been an honor to serve alongside Dr. Michael Rice over the past six years,' said Dr. Pamela Pugh, president of the State Board of Education. 'During that time, I have witnessed his steadfast commitment to putting children first—even in moments of disagreement, his focus on what was best for students never wavered.'
Rice provided some insight into what he'll be doing after retirement.
'Family members are getting older and, with a nod to Robert Frost, I have promises to keep to them,' said Dr. Rice. 'While I will be writing, consulting a bit, and mentoring in the coming year, I expect mostly to be reengaging more deeply with family. Beyond the year, though, I expect to return to working eye level with children, work that I have missed enormously these last six years and to which I look forward. To Frost again: 'And miles to go before I sleep.''
Rice started his career in public education in Washington, D.C. Public Schools, teaching high school French and coaching a speech and debate program. He spent 2 years as a superintendent in Kalamazoo and five as a superintendent in Clifton, NJ.
He graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's in psychology with honors and got a master's and doctoral degree in public administration with honors from New York University.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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