Michael F. Rice (born 1963) is an American educator.

Biography

Rice was born around 1963. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, and went on to receive a master's and doctorate degree in administration from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

. Rice began his public education career at

Washington, D.C. Public Schools The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is the local public school system for Washington, D.C. It is distinct from the District of Columbia Public Charter Schools (DCPCS), which governs public charter schools in the city. Composition ...

, where he taught high school French. Rice went on to serve five years as superintendent of Clifton Public Schools in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, and then 12 years as that of

Kalamazoo Public Schools Kalamazoo Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Graduates of the district are eligible to receive scholarships through the Kalamazoo Promise, a program launched in 2005 and funded by anonymous donors. The dis ...

in Michigan. Rice was named Michigan Superintendent of the Year in 2015. According to Ron French of Bridge Michigan, Rice "battled the Republican-led

Michigan Legislature The Michigan Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of the Senate (the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber). Article IV of the Michigan Con ...

on several school policies". Such policies include public funds going toward private schools, student retention requirements based on reading levels, and the adoption of an A-through-F grading system. In 2019, the position of Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction had been filled by interim Superintendent Sheila Alles since the death of Superintendent Brian Whiston in 2018. The partisan makeup of the Michigan Board of Education was six Democrats and two

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Rice was selected by the Board of Education on May 7, 2019, by a vote of 5–3, the other three votes going to Randy Liepa. Rice was supported by five of the six Democrats on the board. He began serving on August 1. In September 2022, Republican gubernatorial candidate, and future nominee,

Tudor Dixon Tudor Dixon (; born May 5, 1977) is an American politician, businesswoman, and Conservatism in the United States, conservative political commentator. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, Dixon was the party's nomin ...

called for Rice's resignation, ahead of the

gubernatorial election A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

. She did so due to training videos from a Department of Education training webinar, explaining teachers could talk with parents of students on subjects such as the student's suicidal thoughts without outing their sexuality.

References

Living people 1960s births Educators from Michigan Michigan superintendents of public instruction New York University alumni People from Kalamazoo, Michigan Yale University alumni 21st-century American educators {{US-edu-bio-stub