Michigan reading scores drop again. State superintendent: ‘We need to improve’

Michigan's third grade reading scores continued to decline in the state's latest standardized tests, despite schools implementing reading reforms. Only 38.2% of third graders were proficient in English Language Arts, a drop from 38.9% the previous year, according to the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress results released on September 4, 2025.

This marks the lowest third grade score in the exam's 12-year history. The decline in reading scores follows a decade of efforts to improve them, including the use of literacy coaches, optional teacher training, and a law that retained struggling third graders. Fourth through seventh grade reading scores also decreased from the previous year, with only 44% of students in this grade range proficient.

State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, "We need to improve the results of all these assessments for our students moving forward. Michigan proficiency rates are not where we want them to be. We must increase proficiency rates in all subjects and areas, and in all grades. And we must do this over time, showing steady improvement in all areas."

The M-STEP tests assess if students are meeting the skills outlined in state standards. Only 35.5% of students in grades 3-8 were proficient in math.