Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction
| Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $246,726 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $3,827,800 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Determined by the Michigan State Board of Education |
| Authority: | Michigan Constitution, Article VIII, Section 3 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by the Michigan State Board of Education |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction
Sue Carnell | |
| Other Michigan Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Public Instruction • Director of Agriculture and Rural Development • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Director • Labor Director • Public Service Commission | |
The Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction is a state executive position in the Michigan state government. The superintendent is appointed by the state board of education and serves as chairman of the board.[1]
Current officeholder
The acting Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction is Sue Carnell (nonpartisan). Carnell assumed office in 2025.
Authority
The state Constitution addresses the office of the superintendent in Article VIII, Section 3.[2]
Under Article VII, Section 3:
|
The state board of education shall appoint a superintendent of public instruction whose term of office shall be determined by the board... |
Qualifications
The Michigan State Board of Education determines the qualifications for the state superintendent. The superintendent must possess formal education and experience with education leadership as well as a master's degree in education.[3]
Appointments
As established in Article VIII, Section 3 of the Michigan Constitution, the superintendent of public instruction is appointed by the State Board of Education.[2]
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Duties
Duties of the superintendent include:[1]
- Directing the Michigan Department of Education
- Serving as chair of the State Board of Education
- Advising the State Board of Education, governor, and state legislature regarding public education in the state
State budget
- See also: Michigan state budget and finances
The budget for the State Board of Education and Office of the Superintendent for the 2025 fiscal year was $3,827,800.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $246,726, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $232,650, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the superintendent received a salary of $225,831, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $221,403, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $216,240, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the superintendent received a salary of $212,221, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $206,040, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $204,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the superintendent received a salary of $195,238, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the superintendent was paid an estimated $191,410, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the superintendent was paid an estimated $189,515, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
Historical officeholders
There have been 42 Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction since 1836.[16]
| List of officeholders from 1836-present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | |||
| 1 | John D Pierce | 1836-1841 | |||
| 2 | Franklin Sawyer, Jr | 1841-1843 | |||
| 3 | Oliver C Comstock | 1843-1845 | |||
| 4 | Ira Mayhew | 1845-1849 | |||
| 5 | Francis W Shearman | 1849-1854 | |||
| 6 | Ira Mayhew | 1855-1858 | |||
| 7 | John M Gregory | 1859-1864 | |||
| 8 | Oramel Hosford | 1865-1872 | |||
| 9 | Daniel B Briggs | 1873-1876 | |||
| 10 | Horace S Tarbell | 1877-1878 | |||
| 11 | Cornelius A Gower | 1878-1881 | |||
| 12 | Varnum B Cochran | 1881-1883 | |||
| 13 | Herschel R Gass | 1883-1885 | |||
| 14 | Theodore Nelson | 1885-1886 | |||
| 15 | Joseph Estabrook | 1887-1890 | |||
| 16 | Ferris S Fitch | 1891-1892 | |||
| 17 | Henry R Pattengill | 1893-1896 | |||
| 18 | Jason E Hammond | 1897-1900 | |||
| 19 | Delos Fall | 1901-1904 | |||
| 20 | Patrick H Kelley | 1905-1906 | |||
| 21 | Luther L Wright | 1907-1913 | |||
| 22 | Fred L Keeler | 1913-1919 | |||
| 23 | Thomas E Johnson | 1919-1926 | |||
| 24 | Wilford L Coffey | 1926-1927 | |||
| 25 | Webster H Pearce | 1927-1933 | |||
| 26 | Paul F Voelker | 1933-1935 | |||
| 27 | Maurice R Keyworth (died before taking office) | ||||
| 28 | Eugene B Elliott | 1935-1948 | |||
| 29 | Lee M Thurston | 1948-1953 | |||
| 30 | Clair L Taylor | 1953-1957 | |||
| 31 | Lynn M Bartlett | 1957-1965 | |||
| 32 | Alexander J Kloster (acting) | 1965-1966 | |||
| 33 | Ira Polley | 1966-1969 | |||
| 34 | John W Porter | 1969-1979 | |||
| 35 | Eugene T Paslov (interim) | 1979-1980 | |||
| 36 | Phillip E Runkel | 1980-1987 | |||
| 37 | Gary D Hawks (interim) | 1987-1988 | |||
| 38 | Donald L Bemis | 1988-1991 | |||
| 39 | Gary D Hawks (interim) | 1991-1990 | |||
| 40 | Robert E Schiller | 1991-1995 | |||
| 41 | Arthur E Ellis | 1995-2001 | |||
| 42 | Thomas D Watkins, Jr. | 2001-2005 | |||
| 43 | Michael Flanagan | 2005-2015 | |||
| 44 | Brian Whiston | 2015-2018 | |||
| 45 | Sheila Alles (interim) | 2018-2019 | |||
| 46 | Michael Rice | 2019-Present | |||
Recent news
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Contact information
Michigan Department of Education
608 W. Allegan Street
P.O. Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 833-633-5788
Fax: 517-355-4565
See also
| Michigan | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michigan Department of Education, "Superintendent," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michigan Legislature, "Constitution of the State of Michigan," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ State of Michigan, "Skills and Qualifications: Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Michigan Legislature, "Act No. 121," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Former Michigan Officials, "Superintendents of Public Instruction, 1836-2003," accessed January 25, 2021
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