MDE Supports Long-Awaited Action
Pictured are: State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice; Legislative Analyst Olivia Ponte; Director of the Michigan MTSS Center Dr. Kim St. Martin; Legislative Liaison Dr. Sheryl Kennedy; Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Deputy Superintendent of Division of Assessment, School Improvement, and Systems Support Dr. Delsa D. Chapman; Assistant Director of Educational Supports Dr. Jen Saylor; Education Consultant Manager DeNesha Rawls-Smith; and Director of Educational Supports Dr. Corrine E. Edwards.
LANSING, MI – Michigan children will be better able to learn to read under two new laws Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed today at Gardner International Magnet School in Lansing.
“Kids won today,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “This is the most consequential education legislation signed in Michigan in the past two decades, with the possible exception of historic state school aid budgets for fiscal years 2023 and 2024. In the coming years, Michigan children learning to read will benefit enormously.”
Last month, the state Senate and House sent two literacy/dyslexia bills to the governor in resounding bipartisan votes. The K-12 literacy/dyslexia legislation that now becomes law has been championed by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the State Board of Education. Senate Bills 567 and 568 become law. The legislature had been working on various iterations of the bills for over five years.
“It’s encouraging to witness Gov. Whitmer and our partners in the Michigan Legislature joining together — across the aisle — to take action to ensure that Michigan children have the necessary tools to develop their reading skills,” said Board President Dr. Pamela Pugh. “They recognize that literacy is a fundamental component of educational success. This investment in education benefits not only individual students but also fortifies communities and the state as a whole.”
MDE officials testified in support of the bills before the Senate Education Committee in February. They testified before the House Education Committee in June to encourage legislators to pass the bills.
Improving early literacy achievement is one of the goals in Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan. There is nothing more important to achieving this goal than providing the best possible early literacy foundation.
The law will strengthen the effectiveness of literacy instruction and intervention for Michigan students, MDE officials say. It will also provide for both pre-service and in-service training to educators to learn or strengthen skills needed to identify Michigan students with characteristics of dyslexia.
“We at MDE recognize our role and responsibilities in implementing these new laws for the benefit of children. Now that the bills have been signed into law, we look forward to working closely with our partners, including local school districts, intermediate school districts, and institutions of higher education,” said Dr. Sue C. Carnell, MDE chief deputy superintendent.
Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, the new laws will require public schools to:
- Screen, with a tool from a list of approved screening tools, all students in kindergarten through third grade for characteristics of dyslexia three times per school year.
- Ensure that reading intervention is provided to all K-12 students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia as a result of screening assessment data.
- Use a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to organize evidence-based classroom and intervention instruction and materials to effectively meet the needs of all learners.
- Provide literacy consultants, teachers, literacy coaches, and other instructional staff with professional learning on characteristics of dyslexia, instructional practices, and accommodations that have strong evidence for improving literacy outcomes and are consistent with the Science of Reading.
- Select from a list of approved reading instructional materials.
MDE will provide guidance and support for required pre-service and in-service learning and implementation strategies to public schools and institutions of higher education. Currently, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling training, commonly known as LETRS, is professional learning that is accessible to Michigan elementary teachers and administrators and that is aligned to the new laws. MDE has strongly recommended this training for elementary teachers across the state. Approximately 2,600 Michigan teachers have completed the training and another approximately 7,500 have begun the training. LETRS is a training program that provides educators with an in-depth look at the five pillars of literacy instruction. The five pillars are: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
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