PODCAST:
June 11, 2026 ~ Isabel Lohman joins Kevin Dietz to examine whether Michigan is actually improving literacy after Governor Whitmer’s promises.
LANSING, MICH. ~ Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has put literacy for school children at the top of her priority list before her term ends on Jan. 1, 2027. Her efforts include proposing hundreds of millions of dollars in new investments, expanding teacher training, creating a statewide literacy council, and pushing for a Every Child Reads initiative, as test scores have remained disappointing throughout her seven-year career as governor.
760 WJR explored what ideas could potentially make improvement, in partnership with Bridge Michigan.
“You have ideas like training teachers. That’s not a new concept by any means, but up until now, that has been a voluntary thing to take this very intensive ‘science of reading’ training,” Bridge reporter Isabel Lohman said on All Talk. “There was actually a bill discussed in the House yesterday that would make this required in the future. Some states have done that. It’s a lot of work on the teachers, but people say it makes a real difference.”
There is also an evidence-based teaching law that will go fully into effect in 2027, which will require school districts to test students for dyslexia.
While there are a number of different ideas in the mix, there is still a lot of ground to be covered as third grade reading is at an all-time low and fourth grade reading ranks 44th in the country for National Assessment of Educational Progress scores.
