Michigan’s Report Cards Have Been Sent Home

Photo by diane39

Michigan’s schools have received their report cards, and many are full of failing grades.

According to the Michigan Student Test of Educational Programs (known as M-STEP), on average across the state, only three of five third-grade students can read proficiently. That means two out of five third-graders cannot read to their grade level. And elementary schoolchildren from minorities or low-income districts fared even worse: only one in four of those third graders can read proficiently.

In fact, according to U.S. News and World Report, Michigan, once a national leader in education, now ranks 45^th in the nation, below all other Midwestern states and above only Louisiana, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Alaska, and New Mexico.

The computer-based M-STEP tests how well students in grades three through eight have mastered grade-level expectations for English Language Arts (ELA), math, and science/social studies. The latest test results reflect the huge challenges state and local educators—as well as parents—face.

On the late August day when Washtenaw’s K-12 students returned to classrooms, Michigan’s Board of Education announced the distressing results of the academic tests taken in the spring. “Today’s M-STEP results underscore an urgent truth: too many Michigan students are still not getting what they need to succeed.” announced Dr. Pamela Pugh, president of Michigan’s Board of Education, that day.

Only Michigan’s eighth graders scored as high as their pre-pandemic predecessors in ELA and math. The latest M-STEP results show that third and fourth graders are particularly at risk—and the pandemic is not entirely responsible.

This year, Michigan’s third graders performed worse in English Language Arts (ELA) than at any time in the M-STEP’s eleven-year history. Fourth graders don’t fare much better. And, although students in grades five through eight made incremental gains in English and math over the last three years, most scores are below pre-pandemic levels—which means COVID is not the only culprit.

On the local level, many Washtenaw County schools beat the state average handily—but not all.

Three of Ann Arbor’s elementary schools placed in the top 1% of schools in the state, but third graders’ ELA scores ranged from 80% proficiency at Angell Elementary to 37.5% at Carpenter. The scores of the city’s other elementary schools ranged in between.

One out of two of Chelsea’s third graders (52.1% ) could read at grade level or above, while only 46.4% of fourth graders had fourth-grade-level ELA skills.

Of Dexter’s third graders, 59.1% were reading at or above grade level, as were 70.4% of the fourth graders.

Milan’s third graders were close to the state average, at 39.7% proficiency, but the fourth graders fell below, at 37.9%, versus the state average of 42.4%.

Saline’s third graders scored 68.4% grade-level proficiency, while 66.3% of fourth graders could do the same.

Fewer than one in five of Ypsilanti’s third graders (18.5%) could read at grade level, and even fewer fourth graders could do the same (15.2%).

After releasing the M-STEP results, Michigan State School Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, who retired this month, attempted to look on the bright side, pointing out, “It is noteworthy that in many grades, Michigan students posted the highest math and ELA proficiency rates in the last three school years”—not an unexpected result, since the last three school years immediately followed the pandemic’s disastrous toll on education.

Rice did add that ELA scores in grades three and four remain a concern. “What we’re experiencing is the consequence of underfunding Michigan Public School students, educators, and education for many years, the resultant teacher shortage, and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic,” he pointed out in a press release the day the M-STEP scores were released.

Rice’s recommendations include reducing class sizes in high-poverty K-3 classrooms, more in-person instruction, funding for more research-based early-literacy materials, and mandatory training in language essentials for both teachers, administrators, and literacy coaches. Incoming state school superintendent Glenn Maleyko, who was formerly the Dearborn Public Schools superintendent, is now facing the challenge of resurrecting Michigan’s educational programs.

Not one Washtenaw principal or superintendent contacted by the Sun Times was willing to comment on their district’s M-STEP scores or any plans for changing curricula. Ann Arbor Public Schools communications director Andrew Cluly reported that the school board would review the M-STEP results before making a statement.

“Here’s what today’s test results mean: if you walk into a third-grade classroom in Michigan, six out of ten children in that room cannot read proficiently,” remarked Jeff Donofrio, president and CEO of Business leaders of Michigan, immediately after seeing the test results. “Just throwing more money at the problem or pointing fingers won’t solve anything. We need leaders committed to setting clear goals, implementing proven models, and bringing together those who aren’t satisfied with the status quo to do better by our kids.”

Long past its July 1 deadline, on October 13, the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer passed a school budget totaling $24.1 billion, with $19.5 billion for the School Aid Fund. The bill offers a record $10,050 per pupil, funding for free school lunches and free pre-K classes, as well as free community college education. It also offers bonuses for teachers’ recruitment and retention and provides funding for additional teacher training.