Michigan State Superintendent Michael Rice addresses children about free summer meals at Waverly East School in Lansing on June 26, 2024. Lucy Valeski

LANSING — Michigan State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Rice announced Friday he is retiring from his position. Rice’s retirement from leading the Michigan Department of Education will be effective Oct. 3. “It’s been an honor to serve Michigan’s 1.4 million public school children over the last six school years,” said Rice in a statement. Rice was appointed to his position by the State Board of Education in May 2019.

Pamela Pugh, president of the board, said in a statement Rice is committed to “putting children first.” “Even in moments of disagreement, his focus on what was best for students never wavered,” she said. Pugh cited the state’s highest recorded four-year graduation of 82.8% in 2024, measures to rectify the ongoing educator shortage, expansion of career and technical education, and expanded school mental health services, among the outcomes Rice helped the state attain. In recent months, Rice was outspoken about school leaders’ obligations to enforce legal protections for LGBTQ+ students, as well as the state’s continuing efforts to make curriculum reflect diverse perspectives under the Trump administration.

But under Rice, Michigan public schools did face growing criticism, including from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, because of weak student performance on state and national exams. Whitmer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rice’s departure. Rice defended the department’s record during a contentious House Appropriations subcommittee meeting last month. “How do we keep going the wrong way and you still have a job?” said Rep. Timmy Beson, a Republican, during the hearing.

Rice said in response that “based on a number of metrics, we’re going in the right way,” citing rising graduation rates and the increased number of students entering postsecondary education. Republican members of the State Board of Education last year criticized Rice’s public silence on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights investigation of the state education department, which stemmed from allegations that the department violated the rights of students with disabilities during COVID-era school closures. The state has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which is ongoing. “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,” he said.

Before working at the state education department, Rice was superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools for 12 years and in Clifton, New Jersey for five. Rice began his career in education teaching French in District of Columbia Public Schools. He graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and graduated from New York University with a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in public administration.