About Us

The goal of the Michigan Education Research Institute (MERI) is to support research that improves education for all students in Michigan. This is done through a ground breaking partnership between:

• Michigan State University College of Education’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC)
• University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy Education Policy Initiative’s Michigan Education Data Center
• University of Michigan School of Education
• Michigan Department of Education (MDE)
• Michigan’s Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI)

MERI partners work collaboratively to make the state’s education data available to researchers nationwide, and to support MDE in defining and carrying out its research agenda. This will be achieved by creating and conveying a centralized resource for all researchers to submit proposals aligned to the state’s research priorities, obtain data in research-ready format, collaborate, and pursue research topics of interest to MDE and the education field more generally.

Three Pillars of MERI’s work

Education Policy Innovation Collaborative

Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) works closely with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to develop its research agenda, produce robust research, and quick turnaround analyses for the State. EPIC is also well positioned to leverage the research agenda carved out by the State to recruit researchers nationwide, encourage further collaboration, and present relevant results to critical stakeholders.

Michigan Education Data Center

Education Policy Initiative’s (EPI) Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC) team members operate as a clearing house for base research files and all research applications coming to the State of Michigan. MEDC reviews all research proposals, assists researchers in aligning applications to MDE’s research priorities, and loans customized researcher-ready files to approved researchers.

Michigan Department of Education and the Center for Educational Performance and Information

The State reviews requesting researchers' proposals forwarded by MEDC, and renders an official decision of approval or denial. If approved, the requesting researcher becomes an authorized researcher. The State provides MEDC with the base research files that serve as the starting point for creating custom files for approved researchers.