June 25, 2025
Michigan Department of Education
608 W. Allegan Street
P.O. Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
Read here: 2025.0625 Autism Alliance Priorities and Considerations for State Superintendent
RE: Priorities and Considerations for the Next State Superintendent
Dear Members of the Michigan State Board of Education:
On behalf of the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM), thank you for your leadership in shaping the future of Michigan’s public education system. As you proceed with the critically important task of selecting our 45th State Superintendent, we respectfully submit the following priorities and qualifications for your consideration. These recommendations reflect direct engagement with families of students with autism and other disabilities statewide and have been shared through public comments we have provided to the State Board of Education (SBE) this year.
Michigan’s next State Superintendent will inherit the responsibility to lead a system that serves 1.4 million students across 837 public school districts, comprising 537 traditional districts and 300 charter school districts, while advancing Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan. For the children we serve—particularly the 14% of Michigan students with disabilities identified as eligible to receive special education services and supports—this leadership transition is a pivotal opportunity to confront systemic inequities and set a higher bar for expectations.
The ideal candidate should have a proven track record of success as a leader in education and possess the necessary qualifications to lead a state department. The range of expertise must include budget and finance, curriculum and instruction, as well as personnel management. As the State Superintendent also advises the Michigan Legislature on education policy and funding needs along with serving as the primary liaison to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and other federal agencies, it is imperative that the next State Superintendent embody key qualifications and core values that will move Michigan forward.
Executive Summary: Key Recommendations at a Glance
Champion Transformative Leadership Rooted in Integrity
Select a Superintendent with a proven record of systemic reform and moral courage, especially in the realm of special education.
Center the Needs of Michigan’s Most Marginalized Learners
Prioritize students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged youth in policy design and accountability.
Ensure Accountability and Back Policy with Action
Commit to real, measurable change in areas like reducing use of alternate assessments, improving transition services, and enhancing inclusive instructional practices.
Advance Strategic, Systems-Level Collaboration
Work across agencies and government bodies to improve oversight, compliance, and funding equity for special education.
Lead with Transparency, Equity, and Stakeholder Engagement
Strengthen family trust and accountability through open data, authentic stakeholder inclusion, and district capacity building.
Promote High-Quality, Inclusive Education for All
Enhance educator training, enforceable accountability mechanisms, equitable literacy outcomes, and technology policy to better support all students, especially those with disabilities. Ensure students with disabilities receive timely, individualized supports, and empower families to advocate for their children’s rights through transparent communication, legal compliance, and authentic engagement.
Key Qualifications and Core Values:
A Record of Transformative Leadership with Integrity
The next superintendent must be someone with demonstrated success inside and outside of educational systems. The Autism Alliance strongly supports the selection of a leader who understands how the system works—and is willing to challenge its longstanding barriers. This includes a commitment to special education reform, and a proven track record of moving beyond the status quo to confront overdue systemic changes with clarity, urgency, and moral courage.
In support of these recommendations, we call your attention to the findings of the Education Stakeholder Engagement: A Qualitative Analysis and Summary of Stakeholder Interviews. The Autism Alliance conducted this analysis to assess the current landscape of special education policy and implementation in Michigan. The engagement approach included interviews and group discussions with disabled individuals, parents, community organizers, along with policy and subject matter experts representing K-12 perspectives across advocacy, business, education, labor, and philanthropy sectors.
Participants cited weak federal oversight, limited state accountability, and chronic underfunding as the most pressing barriers to special education success in Michigan. Stakeholders described ineffective implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) through students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), noting the lack of consequences for districts that fail to meet compliance standards. They also identified the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) as needing to strengthen oversight, follow through on corrective actions, and support for improved student outcomes following state complaints.
Key stakeholder recommendations include:
Issue clear, actionable policy guidance from MDE to support districts in resolving state complaint corrective actions.
Ensure robust, evidence-based professional development for all special education personnel.
Implement individualized, outcome-driven approaches to education planning for students with disabilities.
These findings reinforce the urgent need for a State Superintendent who will prioritize the voice of those most affected and act decisively in response.
A Deep and Proven Commitment to Michigan’s Most Marginalized Learners
In today’s diverse society, the ability to lead a diverse state is considered crucial. Skills and past experience must demonstrate an ability to understand and respect the backgrounds and unique needs of all students and families in order to create inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Michigan’s public school enrollment is fifty (50) percent economically disadvantaged, seven (7) percent English learners, and fourteen (14) percent students with disabilities. A commitment to the educational success as well as the intersectionality of each of these student groups is critical.
Michigan’s next superintendent must center students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged youth in every facet of decision-making. This includes addressing the key challenges we have outlined in our 2025 public comments to the SBE:
The Special Education Experience Survey results indicate significant and persistent dissatisfaction among families regarding IEP quality, implementation, and communication.
Alarming disparities in graduation rates for students with disabilities compared to nondisabled peers, underscore the need for immediate policy interventions, including setting higher targets and transparent reporting practices.
The overuse and misuse of alternate assessments, including concerns with the Functional Independence tier of MI-Access, require urgent corrective action.
Dropout rates among students with disabilities are a persistent and unaddressed crisis that require immediate policy action through multi-system accountability and evidence-based prevention strategies.
We need a leader who will name these problems without deflection, and act decisively to solve them.
Willingness to Back Up Statements with Meaningful Action
We seek a superintendent who not only understands special education policy and practice, but is also committed to measurable, system-wide improvement.
The ideal candidate must:
Support inclusive practices in all academic settings.
Publicly commit to drastically reducing the disproportionate use of alternate assessments.
Reform transition services and align them with meaningful post-secondary outcomes.
Promote authentic stakeholder engagement, not tokenism.
Prioritize the collection and use of data disaggregated by disability, race, and language status to drive transparent decision-making.
Strategic Collaboration and Systems-Level Influence
A successful State Superintendent for Michigan must have strong communication and collaboration skills in order to foster a culture of transparency. They must be able to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, including local boards of education, students, parents, teachers, and community members.
The State Superintendent must be a skilled navigator of the complex political and policy landscape, with the ability to work across the State Board of Education, Michigan Department of Education staff, legislative leadership, the Governor’s office, and federal agencies.
They must also:
Advocate effectively for adequate and equitable special education funding at both the state and federal levels by carrying forward the promise of transformation through the findings of the Michigan Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint.
Lead the development of accessible and equitable educational technology policies, including addressing the evolving implications of artificial intelligence in education.
Advance literacy efforts by promoting evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the science of reading, while ensuring that students with disabilities are accurately identified and equitably supported through timely, appropriate, and targeted interventions.
A Vision Grounded in Accountability and Equity
Michigan’s next superintendent must lead with honesty and the willingness to confront difficult truths.
Families of students with disabilities need a leader who will hold systems accountable to:
Ensure improved fidelity and full compliance with IEP implementation.
Eliminate structural barriers to inclusive education.
Build district-level capacity for inclusion, early intervention, and enhanced instructional quality.
Rebuild trust between families and schools through transparency and engagement.
In closing, the Autism Alliance of Michigan believes that the selection of the next State Superintendent is one of the most important decisions the State Board of Education will make this decade. We urge you to appoint a leader
who is bold, honest, and deeply committed to dismantling the barriers that have long hindered the success of students with autism and other disabilities.
The Autism Alliance stands ready to collaborate with the next State Superintendent to ensure all students in Michigan—regardless of ability, race, income, or zip code—receive the high-quality, inclusive education they deserve.
Thank you for your continued service and for your attention to these critical priorities.
About the Autism Alliance of Michigan
The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) is a 501(c)(3) organization serving as a trusted ally and partner for thousands of families across the state. AAoM’s mission is to lead efforts to raise expectations and expand opportunities for people connected to autism across their lifespan. The organization’s Education pillar drives initiatives that address systemic barriers to education, focuses on student-centered advocacy, and educates families on related topics – working towards its goal to make Michigan a top 10 state for special education outcomes. For help finding resources, providers, and information contact our MiNavigators at 877-463-2266 (AAOM) or email at navigator@aaomi.org. More information about AAoM’s Education pillar can be found at: https://autismallianceofmichigan.org/education-initiatives/.