The Article
In this report on Michigan’s demographics, Betty Menchik, senior policy analyst at the Education Policy Center at Michigan State University, examines the changing composition of Michigan’s households and the ramification for Michigan schools.

Discussion
Menchik points out that between 1980 and 2000, Michigan’s population grew by 7.3 percent, while the number of households grew by 590,448, or 18 percent. Households are growing faster than the population because of the fragmentation of Michigan families into smaller units. Households have become more diverse as the percentage of married couples with children decreases, and households composed of unmarried adults, either single or living with each other, increases. In fact, the number of married couples with children in Michigan declined from 33 to 23 percent from 1980 to 2000. Menchik also notes that household composition is not uniform in Michigan counties. Households in the five most populous counties (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Kent, and Genesee) have similar composition—about one third of households are families with children. School districts in rural areas of urban counties, however, have the highest percentage of families with children and, thus, schools in these areas are likely to feel growing pains. Rural counties, especially in the Upper Peninsula, have a significantly lower proportion of families with children. Menchik concludes: “While a number of states are experiencing increases in the number and percentage of families with children because of new immigration, it is unlikely that Michigan is likely to see the percentage of families with children increase in the near future. Districts need to consider the composition of their communities when thinking of how to gain support for bond issues or how to involve the community in school affairs, or how to link service learning to the residents of the districts. Household composition also has a direct effect on income and how much community members are likely to want to increase their taxes for education programs.”

What It Means To You
How effectively do you and your district reach out to all segments of your community, including the elderly and those without children. That sector of the population has been increasing while married couples with children have been on the decline over the past 20 years. How crucial are those community members to any attempt by your district to pass a bond issue or other school affairs?

For More Information
Menchik, B.L. (2002). “Changing composition of Michigan’s households.” Policy Report (10). You can read the article on the Education Policy Center’s Web site at www.epc.msu.edu

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