Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Michigan ranked 44th in the nation when it comes to fourth grade reading scores last year. That's according to a recent report from EdTrust-Midwest, which also shows third through eighth graders are still three quarters of a grade level behind in reading than they were before COVID.

"The trends were starting to emerge for years before COVID. So, we were seeing decreasing proficiency rates. Then the pandemic, of course, exacerbated it," MSU Education Professor Tara Kilbride told WILX Lansing.

While older kids showed slight improvement post-COVID, Michigan's youngest students are still struggling.

"These are students who were just starting their education. They were in maybe Kindergarten or first grade during the most disruptive parts of the pandemic," Kilbride added.

The report, attached below, also showed Michigan eighth graders ranked only 31st in math proficiency.

According to EdTrust-Midwest, the report’s findings come at a time of great uncertainly for the nation’s and Michigan’s public schools as the Trump administration has begun significant efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The administration also reportedly is exploring major changes to federal funding, school accountability and transparency systems, and other measures designed to ensure all students have access to a great public education. At stake is $2.4 billion in crucial funding, support and oversight for Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students.

"As the federal leaders increasingly take actions which threaten funding for vulnerable students, Michigan’s underfunding of public schools becomes even more dire," said Amber Arellano, executive director for EdTrust-Midwest. "State leaders should prioritize investing in students with the greatest needs, particularly children from low-income backgrounds, who have been hit the hardest by this underinvestment in our public schools and who are the farthest behind after the pandemic."

You can read the report's findings in the attachment and link below.