Michigan’s literacy crisis won’t be resolved by schools alone and understanding this reality can make a real difference in helping kids learn to read and write. Perhaps once upon a time we believed teaching children literacy rested solely on the back of the education system. Yet reading instruction has long had a history of shifting strategies and competing ideologies. Throughout history, children learning to read and write experienced a kaleidoscope of alphabet memorizations, spelling lists, phonics instruction, whole-language instruction, the Dick and Jane series, sound boxes and more. The list grew longer while many children continued to fall behind. This is not new. Even in 1950, Rudolph Flesch, a readability expert, asked why Johnny can’ tread. School districts have tried everything, yet the data paints a grim picture: 75% of Michigan’s fourth graders are not proficient in literacy.
Now Michigan has landed firmly on the comprehensive, interdisciplinary principles supported by the Science of Reading. This promotes teaching phonics, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, fluency and comprehension together through explicit instruction. Teachers deserve applause for their flexibility to evolve and fight for all children to develop proficient literacy skills. However, the task is too large for schools to conquer alone. A community-wide effort must be expected. To support Michigan’s children in literacy, we must all get involved and ensure reading resources spread far beyond the classroom.
In Governor Whitmer’s State of the State address, $625 million was proposed to address the literacy crisis. This is a phenomenal opportunity that would fall short if community organizations, literacy centers, and reading programs outside of schools were excluded. Thankfully, they were not forgotten. According to the Michigan Department of Education, Every Child Reads Next Steps Forward, “…invests millions … to provide extra learning opportunities beyond the school day for students who need it the most.” Our communities must become literacy-rich environments that not only support best practices but also champion a love of reading and writing for every child.
As an English Language Arts teacher, I felt a race against time. State assessments loomed like a ticking clock with doom filled implications that creates the preschool to prison pipeline, increased truancy and dropout rates. I was known to propel my students forward with rigorous writing and reading assignments. Each school year students asked, “Why is your class so tough?” My response, “Being able to read and write well can ensure a stable future for you, Michigan’s communities and economy.”
When I left the classroom to become the director of education at WKAR Public Media, the NPR and PBS affiliate station, I developed the WKAR Reading Kit Project. The project supports children across mid-Michigan with a neon green backpack filled with two new books, fun literacy manipulatives and community resources that keep learners engaged while school is out. The first project year, WKAR provided 1,700 kits during COVID. These kits have been provided for six years in March with increased demand.
In January 2026, within twenty-four hours, over 130 organizations requested 7,500 kits. Within forty-eight hours, 12,000 kits were requested. The demand highlights the value of the project and the need for literacy resources that extend beyond the classroom. Organizations such as Head Start, Kiwanis, Kids for Kindergarten and Great Start to Quality say the kits fill gaps in learning. Migrant Farmworker Outreach Services reports that the materials help children and their families learn to speak English, as well as read and write. To date, WKAR has provided over 48,150 Reading Kits and over 130,000 new books — a testament to our amazing supporters.
WKAR has experienced devastating funding cuts, but our priority to serve our region has never wavered. Hopefully, the EveryChild Reads funding will support community organizations like WKAR Public Media to keep up the fight to cultivate literacy for all because schools can’t, and shouldn’t, do it alone.
