LANSING ~ Michigan’s third-grade reading scores have fallen to their lowest level since the state’s M-STEP assessment was introduced 12 years ago, according to results released by the Michigan Department of Education. Just 38.2% of third-grade students scored proficient in English Language Arts, down from 38.9% a year earlier.
The decline is part of a broader trend in student achievement across the state. Results show reading proficiency fell in multiple grade levels, while about 44% of students in grades 3 through 8 met proficiency standards in reading. Math proficiency among students in those grades was 35.5%.
Improvement was limited across the state’s testing program. Only six of 20 assessed subject-and-grade categories showed gains this year, down from 14 a year earlier. Those categories include reading, math, science, and social studies assessments administered across multiple grade levels. State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said Michigan’s proficiency rates remain below expectations and called for continued improvement across grades and subjects.
