Michigan fourth-grade reading proficiency falls to 37 percent

Michigan ranks 44th in 4th-grade literacy, with only 37 percent of fourth-graders proficient in reading, highlighting long-term declines. Governor Gretchen Whitmer emphasized these disparities in her final state of the state address, noting regional differences such as Ann Arbor at 60 percent proficiency and Detroit Public Schools at 11.7 percent. State leaders prioritize addressing this gap through targeted reading training programs. Wayne-Westland, for instance, used state funding for LETRS training, focusing on active, peer-to-peer learning, which has begun to show improvements despite pandemic challenges.