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Michigan Literacy Rates Failing to Keep Up with Other States

Jan 12, 2026 | 4:55 PM

Photo: Dana Afana / USA TODAY NETWORK

PODCAST:

Jan. 12, 2026 ~ Co-Founder and CEO of Beyond Basics, Pamela Good, joins Ryan Ermanni to discuss why Michigan‘s literacy scores is lagging behind other states and how they can be increased.

DETROIT, MI ~ Literacy rates in the state of Michigan have been a recurring issue over the past couple of years, compared to other states in the country. In 2024, Michigan ranked as the seventh worst state in the United States in average literacy score, according to World Population Review. Co-Founder and CEO of Beyond Basics, Pamela Good, spoke more on the problem on “‘JR Afternoon.”

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SPOTLIGHT PODCAST

June 1, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick and Lloyd Jackson talk with Chad Livengood, politics editor and columnist at The Detroit News. They discuss data center secrecy and the lack of transparency, a major cause of distrust in Michigan.

June 1, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick and Lloyd Jackson chat with Brian Burchette, media coordinator, and Genevieve Benson, operations manager for Monroe Community Media, about Stephen Colbert appearing on Monroe Public Access after his CBS show was cancelled.

June 1, 2026 ~ Schupan Recycling President Tom Emmerich weighs in on proposed changes to Michigan’s bottle deposit system and what it could mean for consumers.