How well do Livingston County students read? Here's what state testing shows

Sophia Lada, Livingston Daily
·4 min read

Livingston County students as a group are testing above the average levels in the state, according to data from the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, or M-STEP.

Students across Michigan took the M-STEP in the spring and numbers were released earlier this fall showing many in Michigan suffered pandemic-related learning loss. In Livingston County, however, schools seemed to have bucked that trend.

In the 2021-22 school year, 54% of third graders (934 of 1,700 third graders) in Livingston County scored advanced or proficient in the English language arts section. The statewide rate is 42% of students scoring advanced or proficient.

"Last year was a stronger year for our children, given the courageous work of our students and staff, but we continue to have a lot of room for improvement," State Superintendent Michael Rice said in a spring 2022 press release, which also noted that 55% of school districts increased scores in English language arts.

Whitmore Lake Elementary kindergartner Robert Rohatgi talks to children's book author Matthew Swanson after an assembly at the school Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.
Whitmore Lake Elementary kindergartner Robert Rohatgi talks to children's book author Matthew Swanson after an assembly at the school Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.

Students take the M-STEP in third through eighth grades in the spring.

In the English language arts section of the test, students read short passages and answer questions based on the passage to gauge reading comprehension. There is also a section in which students complete writing prompts based on passages or essay questions.

Starting in the 2019-20 school year, Michigan law began to require that third grade students be able to read at the third grade level or they risk being held back to repeat third grade.

Brighton Area Schools, which had the highest M-STEP scores in the county overall, has not had any students who were eligible to be held back based on the law.

“The last couple of years have been really challenging for everyone including schools, but we worked really hard to keep student learning at the forefront,” Superintendent Matt Outlaw said in a September press release.

Brighton Area Schools students scored higher than the Livingston County average, with 64% of third graders, or 253 of 391, counted as advanced or proficient.

Hartland Consolidated Schools students also scored higher than the county average with 70% of third graders, or 254 of 363, reaching advanced or proficient.

Other districts scored lower than the county average, with Fowlerville Community Schools at 34% of third graders, or 63 of 182, achieving advanced or proficient in English Language Arts.

Third grade students who scored advanced or proficient in English language arts:

  • Statewide: 40,376 of 97,136, or 42%

  • Livingston County: 934 of 1,700, or 55%

  • Brighton Area Schools: 253 of 391, or 65%

  • Fowlerville Community Schools: 63 of 182, or 35%

  • Hartland Consolidated Schools: 254 of 363, or 70%

  • Howell Public Schools: 248 of 516, or 48%

  • Pinckney Community Schools: 64 of 145, or 44%

Fourth grade students that scored advanced or proficient in English language arts:

  • Statewide: 42,079 of 96,988, or 43%

  • Livingston County: 915 of 1,681, or 54%

  • Brighton Area Schools: 299 of 403, or 74%

  • Fowlerville Community Schools: 47 of 165, or 28%

  • Hartland Consolidated Schools: 200 of 355, or 56%

  • Howell Public Schools: 224 of 494, or 45%

  • Pinckney Community Schools: 85 of 152, or 56%

Fifth grade students that scored advanced or proficient in English language arts:

  • Statewide: 42,365 of 98,301, or 43%

  • Livingston County: 946 of 1,674, or 57%

  • Brighton Area Schools: 283 of 392, or 72%

  • Fowlerville Community Schools: 62 of 181, or 34%

  • Hartland Consolidated Schools: 213 of 345, or 62%

  • Howell Public Schools: 245 of 489, or 50%

  • Pinckney Community Schools: 81 of 164, or 49%

Sixth grade students that scored advanced or proficient in English language arts:

  • Statewide: 36,541 of 97,228, or 38%

  • Livingston County: 883 of 1,705, or 52%

  • Brighton Area Schools: 251 of 397, or 63%

  • Fowlerville Community Schools: 59 of 190, or 31%

  • Hartland Consolidated Schools: 219 of 363, or 60%

  • Howell Public Schools: 215 of 474, or 45%

  • Pinckney Community Schools: 74 of 149, or 50%

Seventh grade students that scored advanced or proficient in English language arts:

  • Statewide: 37,193 of 98,772, or 38%

  • Livingston County: 762 of 1,671, or 52%

  • Brighton Area Schools: 226 of 402, or 56%

  • Fowlerville Community Schools: 52 of 186, or 28%

  • Hartland Consolidated Schools: 199 of 381, or 52%

  • Howell Public Schools: 179 of 449, or 40%

  • Pinckney Community Schools: 59 of 152, or 39%

Sophia Lada is a reporter for the Livingston Daily. Contact her at slada@gannett.com or 517-377-1065. Follow her on Twitter @sophia_lada.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Livingston County M-STEP results mostly top state average