Math & reading standards and testing in Michigan
Updated June 2026
Michigan's Academic Standards are based on the Common Core State Standards. Students in grades 3-8 take the M-STEP each spring in ELA and mathematics.
Does Michigan hold kids back in 3rd grade for reading?
No (repealed). Michigan's Read by Grade Three retention mandate was repealed in 2023; struggling readers still get reading plans, but retention is no longer required.
Standards
Michigan Academic Standards
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so grade-level skills match what most of the country teaches.
The key test
The Michigan state test
M-STEP covers both math and reading in grades 3-8.
Reading the results
Spring.
Four levels: Not Proficient, Partially Proficient, Proficient, Advanced.
On grade level means Proficient or Advanced on M-STEP ELA.
What's distinctive about Michigan
Michigan adopted, then repealed, a 3rd-grade reading-retention requirement (the retention piece ended in 2023).
Practice the skills, by grade
Whatever Michigan calls its test, the underlying math and reading skills are grade-level. Practice them directly:
Practice the skills behind the test
Michigan teaches the Common Core standards. What a third grader has to do does not change: multiply, find the main idea, read a paragraph and say what it meant. KangarooKiddo drills those skills in daily sessions of a handful of questions that end on their own. You see where your kid actually stands, they earn rewards you set up and approve.
Source: Michigan Department of Education. Verified for the 2025-26 school year; policies can change, so confirm with your school.