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Michigan teachers are taking science-of-reading training as the state prepares to require professional development for K-5 educators by the start of the 2031-32 school year. State data show 38% of third graders scored proficient on the latest reading exam, while more than 8,000 educators have graduated from LETRS and another 4,300 are enrolled.
Michigan teachers are returning to training to learn evidence-based approaches to reading instruction as the state prepares to require professional development in the science of reading for K-5 educators by the start of the 2031-32 school year. The effort comes as state data show 38% of third graders scored proficient on the latest reading exam, with scores not improving from previous results.
One of the teachers in training is Karlee Little, a Hemlock Public School District elementary teacher who completed her third session of Lexia’s LETRS program. She expects to complete its eight units over three school years. The program covers research on how children learn to read, including phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Little told The 74 that she did not recall receiving step-by-step instruction in how to teach children to read during her teacher preparation. “I don’t ever remember being taught like this is how kids are best going to read,” she said. “I remember it being like, if they’re not reading, these are the things you can do, but never really step by step show us what we should be reading.”
The Michigan Department of Education reported that more than 8,000 educators have graduated from LETRS training and another 4,300 are enrolled. Twenty-eight districts have adopted or signed on for the state’s LETRS training, according to department officials. LETRS is one of the state-approved providers; the state requirement applies to K-5 teachers by the 2031-32 school year, and teacher preparation programs must also include science-of-reading instruction.
Training Meets Michigan’s Reading Gap
The training is part of a statewide response to persistently low reading proficiency. Michigan reading scores have fallen since 2015, with the largest decline during the pandemic years, and the latest state data show no improvement. The state test, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, measures reading and other subjects in grades 3-8 and 11.
For educators, the change involves more than adding new lesson materials. Teachers in the program learn techniques for helping students decode words, including sounding out and mapping sounds, and activities that use movement and vowel displays. Some participants say the material prompts them to reconsider practices they have used for years. The training’s reach and the state’s mandate make its implementation relevant to districts, teachers and families, even though the available information does not establish how much the instruction has changed student outcomes.
Providing time and support for teachers is another practical issue. Saginaw Intermediate School District, which includes Hemlock, arranges substitute coverage so elementary teachers can attend sessions, according to district instruction and coaching program director Kelly Kujala. The district also invites educators from other districts to join in-person training. Such arrangements let teachers attend during the workday, but they require staffing and coordination.
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Statewide Literacy Rules Take Shape
Michigan’s professional-development requirement follows years of concern about reading performance. The science of reading refers to a body of research on how children learn to read and emphasizes connected skills such as phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Michigan has also required science-of-reading content in teacher preparation programs.
The state’s literacy policy has drawn bipartisan attention, though candidates have proposed different next steps. The report said Republican gubernatorial candidate John James suggested restoring the third-grade retention requirement previously included in the Read by Three law; that requirement was repealed in 2023. Democrat Jocelyn Benson has called for more literacy resources so children can read by third grade. These proposals are campaign positions, not enacted policy changes.
Michigan State University political science professor and public education researcher Sarah Reckhow described literacy as a shared focus among lawmakers and political campaigns. “The bipartisanship that we’ve seen in the legislature seems to carry into how they talk about reading and literacy as a priority,” she told The 74. Literacy policy remains subject to debate, particularly over what should follow the current training and curriculum push.
““I don’t ever remember being taught like this is how kids are best going to read.””
— Karlee Little, Hemlock Public School District teacher
Student Results Remain Unmeasured
The latest reported scores do not show an improvement, but the source material does not provide a specific evaluation linking LETRS participation to changes in student performance. It is also unclear how many teachers statewide have completed an approved training program, how districts will meet the deadline, or what resources will be available to support them.
The longer-term policy debate is unresolved. The candidates’ differing proposals on retention and literacy resources are campaign positions, and the account does not establish whether either will become law. The effects of the current training effort, including whether they will appear in test results, remain to be seen.
Districts Prepare for the 2031 Deadline
Michigan districts will continue arranging training as the state’s 2031-32 school-year deadline approaches. In Saginaw ISD, teachers can attend sessions with guest-teacher coverage, and the district is bringing together educators from inside and outside its boundaries. State-approved training options include LETRS.
The next major measure will be whether participation expands and whether reading outcomes improve in future state assessments. State officials have not provided, in the source material, a timeline for a formal evaluation of the training’s effects. Decisions about additional literacy policies are also likely to remain part of the state’s political and legislative debate.
Key Questions
What is the science of reading?
It refers to research on how children learn to read. The training described in the report covers phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
When must Michigan K-5 teachers complete the training?
Michigan requires K-5 teachers to complete professional training focused on the science of reading by the start of the 2031-32 school year.
How many educators have taken LETRS training?
The Michigan Department of Education said more than 8,000 educators have graduated from LETRS and another 4,300 are enrolled. These figures are for LETRS, one of the state-approved providers.
Are Michigan students’ reading scores improving?
State data cited in the report showed that 38% of third graders scored proficient on the latest reading exam, and scores had not improved. The report does not establish whether teacher training has affected student results.
Source: the74million.org
