Michigan Kids Falling Even Further Behind

Lansing, MI – Today, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) released the latest results for the M-STEP test, an annual review of students’ proficiency in reading and math. Last year’s results in 3rd-grade reading set a new low, with only 38.9% of students able to read at grade level. This year’s results set a new record, even lower than last year’s – now the lowest literacy scores in the history of the test.

Sadly, scores have been on a consistent decline since 2019 and have only gotten worse with the Democrat repeal of Michigan’s 3rd-grade reading standard and A-F grading for schools.

In her final State of the State address earlier this year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer finally admitted that there is a literacy crisis, after watching and ignoring the slipping scores for nearly a decade. 

These new scores come out as pressure mounts on Whitmer to opt into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC), which could provide up to $1 billion in extra help for struggling students and help cover the cost of literacy coaches, tutoring, and books. The benefits could help families across Michigan, regardless of their educational choices, but the governor has so far not chosen to participate. 

“Gretchen Whitmer has had mistaken priorities when it comes to education from day one,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Adults have failed our kids, plain and simple. From the State Board of Education to administrators and the governor, our students have been left behind while they chose to prioritize their own agendas. Whitmer’s administration has been one failure after another, and now that she has one final opportunity to make a responsible choice for Michigan’s students, she is dragging her feet.”