DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Education leaders faced tough questions at the Capitol on Tuesday regarding Michigan's below-average reading proficiency scores, while local families are working to keep reading skills sharp during summer break.
- Michigan's 4th-grade reading scores fall below the national average according to the Nation's Report Card.
- The Delta Township District Library is launching its summer reading program to prevent "summer slide" in literacy skills.
- Local grandparent Ileana Rivera prioritizes library visits to build a strong educational foundation for her grandchildren.
WATCH: Delta Township families combat summer reading slide with library programs
On Tuesday, Dr. Pamela Pugh, President of the State Board of Education, was questioned during a House Committee on Oversight hearing about literacy levels in Michigan.
According to the Nation's Report Card from the U.S. Department of Education, reading scores for 4th graders in Michigan were below the national average. For 8th graders, reading scores were about the same as the national average.
"We have a lot of work to do as it relates to our reading level as well as providing quality education here in Michigan," Pugh said.
With summer approaching, Delta Township residents like Ileana Rivera are bringing their grandchildren to the local library with literacy rates in mind.
"It's just part of our lives, and I love the library anyway," Rivera said.
Having raised three children who graduated from college, Rivera now focuses on building the same foundation for her grandchildren.
"It's really important for me for them to like reading and the library and have a good, strong foundation in education before they head for college. I mean, they're only little, but they will be going," Rivera said.
She has enrolled her grandchildren in summer reading programs designed to maintain and improve reading skills while preventing what educators call the "summer slide."
"We try to keep kids reading all summer long, so they don't slide backwards with their grades, and we encourage them to do it through prizes at every level," Rebecca Campbell, the community relations coordinator at the Delta Township District Library, said.
The library is kicking off its summer reading program this Saturday at 10 a.m. with a celebration event, hoping to attract families like Rivera's.
"They enjoy the Library, they really, really like it, there's so many activities and so many events," Rivera said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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