Michigan Students at National Heritage Academies' Schools Perform Like a Top 10 State, Outpacing Michigan's 45th-Place Ranking, Study Says

Independent Analysis Shows NHA Students Among the Nation's Best

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- While news reports paint a grim picture of student success in Michigan, with U.S. News & World Report recently ranking the state 45th in its annual Best States listing, for National Heritage Academies® (NHA®) students that outlook does not tell the real story.

A study by Basis Policy Research found that NHA eighth-graders ranked No. 4 in reading nationally and No. 10 in math. That's a stark contrast in educational outcomes to the rest of the state.

"We believe every student is capable of achieving at a high level," said NHA President and Chief Learning Officer Nick Sheltrown. "These results reinforce what our educators see every day. When students are challenged, supported, and surrounded by teachers who believe in their potential, they can accomplish extraordinary things."

Supporting this evidence is a study by Stanford University's Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) that found NHA students gained 69 additional days of learning in math and 46 additional days in reading compared with their traditional public-school peers.

Sheltrown added that student achievement at NHA's partner-schools is rooted in rigorous academics combined with a character-building curriculum through its Moral Focus™ program. In a survey, 85% of NHA parents said the Moral Focus program has a positive impact on their children.

Find an NHA partner-school near you: NHA School Finder.

Beyond the studies, building school cultures around achievement and character are what differentiate NHA's partner-schools in Michigan:

• Seven NHA partner-schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools, including Pembroke Academy.
• Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the Michigan Department of Education in 2025. The school received the Founder's Award, NHA's highest honor, in 2024 and 2026.
• There were 10 NHA partner-schools who were ranked in the Top 10 of U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Michigan's Best Charter Elementary and Middle Schools.
• Eagle Crest Charter Academy and Windemere Park Charter Academy were named Building the Hope Schools by EdTrust-Midwest for their efforts in closing achievement gaps for their students.

"Our goal is not to simply outperform the average," Sheltrown said. "Our responsibility is to help every student reach their potential. These results show that Michigan students can compete with students anywhere in the country, regardless of their background or ZIP code."

About the Research

National Heritage Academies asked Basis Policy Research to answer a straightforward question: If NHA's partner-schools in Michigan were treated as their own state, how would their student achievement compare nationally?

Researchers used NHA students' 2022 Michigan Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) scores to estimate how they would have performed on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The study focused on eighth-grade students because that grade level is assessed on both tests.

About National Heritage Academies:

National Heritage Academies® (NHA®) was founded in 1995 with families in mind and the belief that every child deserves an education that builds knowledge and character. Today, NHA supports 105 tuition-free, partner-schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 K-12 students through rigorous academics and Moral Focus™ programming. NHA also offers flexible online K-12 learning in Michigan and North Carolina. To find a school near you use the NHA school finder.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies