As Michigan’s education system endeavors to recover from the disruption caused by the pandemic, a recent study reveals a mixed picture of progress among K-8 students. While strides have been made in mathematics, reading achievements have not seen the same level of improvement.
The Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) at Michigan State University has been closely examining the academic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on students. Their latest findings highlight notable advancements in math proficiency.
According to EPIC’s report, during the 2023–24 academic year, Michigan students ascended from the 43rd to the 50th percentile in math, based on pre-pandemic national norms, between fall and spring assessments. Despite a slight decline to the 47th percentile in the subsequent fall, accelerated progress in the 2024–25 school year elevated students back to the 51st percentile by spring 2025, surpassing the national median from before the pandemic. However, the report cautions that the setbacks observed between school years indicate challenges in retaining progress.
Reading, on the other hand, presents a different narrative. Initially starting above the national average at the 53rd percentile in the 2020–21 school year, Michigan students’ reading scores dropped to the 49th percentile by year-end and have since hovered around this mark. This stagnation aligns with national trends from assessments like MAP Growth and i-Ready. Nevertheless, there is a silver lining as the report notes improvements among the state’s lowest-scoring readers, particularly in middle school, reducing the gap between high- and low-performing students. Despite these advancements, reading scores have yet to return to pre-pandemic standards, and math performance disparities persist as they were in 2021.
“It is encouraging to see Michigan students making gains in recent years on these reading and math assessments,” commented Interim State Superintendent Sue Carnell. “Hard work by local districts and students is paying off. That said, we still have much room for further improvement.”
The study also highlights that districts that operated remotely in 2020-21 are making progress in terms of student growth, as evidenced by test score increases. However, these districts still lag behind in overall assessment scores compared to their counterparts statewide.
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