The following tables present data on prevalence and participation in private schools by state. The data includes private schools that provide instruction from preschool to age 12 (or comparable levels without grading). Many private schools in Michigan have been able to increase their enrollment through their preschool programs, where there are fewer free programs for middle class and wealthy families. According to census data, nearly 3 percent of Michigan residents ages 5 to 17 (about 48,400 children) are not enrolled in public or private school.
Private school students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U. In addition, private schools face increasing competition from charter schools and traditional public districts that enroll non-residents through Schools of Choice. The declining birth rate also means that the state has fewer school-age children, which has affected enrollment in public and private schools. The other two databases contain Census Bureau estimates of the percentage of private school students in each Michigan school district, as well as county-wide numbers.
By comparison, 12 percent of K-12 students in Oakland County, 9 percent in Wayne and 8 percent in Macomb are enrolled in private schools, at or below the national average, even though it's a region with affluent suburbs, well-educated parents, and a large Catholic population.
