Michigan Lawmaker Calls for Stronger Reading Standards

A Growing Literacy Challenge

Michigan’s reading scores are drawing renewed concern as state lawmakers debate how to respond to years of disappointing literacy outcomes.

Despite repeated increases in school funding and nearly a billion dollars spent on literacy efforts over the last decade, many Michigan students continue to struggle with basic reading skills. According to recent statewide data, fewer than half of Michigan’s third- and fourth-grade students are reading proficiently, raising alarms among parents, educators and policymakers.

State Rep. Matt Hall said the numbers point to a deeper problem than funding alone.

“Clearly, this is not just a funding problem,” Hall said in a recent update to constituents. “We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect our students to achieve different results.”

Focus on Early Intervention

Hall said he voted to establish stronger literacy standards in elementary schools, with the goal of identifying struggling readers earlier and making sure families are kept informed about their child’s progress.

The plan, according to Hall, would require assessments of a child’s reading level, use proven methods to address deficiencies and provide parents with updates as students work toward improvement. The proposal also includes a measure aimed at preventing students from continuing through the school system without mastering fundamental reading skills.

Supporters argue that early literacy is one of the most important predictors of long-term academic success. By third grade, students are expected to begin shifting from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” When children fall behind at that stage, the effects can carry into later grades, making it harder to keep up in other subjects.

Debate Over Retention and Support

Michigan previously had a third-grade reading law on the books that included retention provisions for students who were not reading at grade level, along with supports for struggling readers. The retention portion of that law was repealed in 2023 by the Democratic-led Legislature and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Hall opposed that repeal and said restoring stronger reading standards is necessary to help students before academic gaps grow wider.

“If a child cannot read proficiently by then, promoting them to the next grade does not solve the problem,” Hall said. “It only pushes the challenge further down the road, where catching up becomes more difficult and academic gaps become harder to overcome.”

The issue remains a point of debate. Critics of retention policies have argued that holding students back can have negative social and academic consequences if not paired with strong intervention. Supporters counter that simply advancing students without ensuring they can read leaves them unprepared for future coursework.

A Call for Accountability

Hall said the proposed standards are similar to those used in more than two dozen other states, including some that rank among the top in the nation for reading outcomes. He argued that Michigan should look to approaches that have shown results elsewhere rather than continuing policies that have not reversed the state’s literacy decline.

“Real compassion is not passing students along and hoping for the best,” Hall said. “It is identifying struggling readers early, providing meaningful support, and ensuring they have the core reading skills mastered before moving on.”

Reading as a Foundation

For Hall, the issue comes down to making sure students leave elementary school with the skills they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

“I believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed,” he said. “That starts with making sure they can read.”

As Michigan continues to confront troubling literacy numbers, the debate over standards, intervention and accountability is likely to remain central to education policy in Lansing.