While there are many people responsible for the benefits of charter schools in Michigan, DeVos' contribution is considerable. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

With Betsy DeVos likely the next Secretary of Education, the sharks of the status quo are circling. There is all sorts of misinformation about her home state of Michigan's vibrant charter school movement and whether such schools in Detroit have succeeded or failed in a city that is failing its people on just about everything else.

It's time to set the record straight about one of the pioneers and most successful charter school movements in the nation.

Let's start with student achievement. According to a highly regarded study, in just one year Michigan charter school students earn an additional two months of learning gains over their traditional public school counterparts. For Detroit, charter students get an additional three months of learning in math and reading when compared to their traditional school peers.

When it comes to accountability, there is no comparison: Charter school authorizers in Michigan (mostly universities) have closed 67 schools statewide since charter schools came into existence in the Great Lakes state. In Detroit, 22 charter schools have been closed for academic or financial reasons. To put this data in perspective, Michigan's charter school closure rate is about 22 percent, whereas the national charter school closure rate is 15 percent. Michigan charter school authorizers take accountability seriously, and close schools when they know they can no longer effectively serve students. Meanwhile, Michigan spends billions on traditional K-12 education, yet not a single traditional public school has been closed for academic reasons. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/setting-the-record-straight-on-betsy-devos-and-charter-schools-in-michigan/article/2608858