The Michigan House recently voted in bipartisan fashion to advance state Rep. Rylee Linting’s bill that makes needed changes to Michigan’s core academic curriculum requirements – part of a legislative package that will provide transparency and results for students, educators and parents.

Linting’s House Bill 4159 strengthens core standards for reading and writing to help guide local curriculum development, while making key updates to support students beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Public schools will ensure that the recommended model core academic curriculum content standards for reading and writing for grades K-6 are based on the science of reading.

“This plan will put our kids in a better position to thrive in the classroom while giving parents needed transparency and accountability,” said Linting, of Grosse Ile. “Our state’s rankings for education are completely unacceptable. Michigan ranks 41^st out of 50 states for education by U.S. News and World Report. We’re 43^rd in high school graduation rates and 44^th in SAT scores. Even the governor’s own population commission that she appointed found that seven out of 10 Michigan students can’t read or do math proficiently. Reintroducing phonics-based reading instruction in our public schools will help bring results.”

“We can’t keep going on with the status quo. Michigan families deserve better. We need a better way forward that works for students and parents, and one that ensures our kids can prepare for the futures ahead of them.”

Linting’s proposal is part of a wider education plan that also gives school districts the ability to explore short interim assessment tests during the school year to see how efficiently children are learning instead of conducting one time-consuming, stress-inducing test. Scores for the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) test are commonly received by schools after the school year has ended, meaning many districts do not use the M-STEP to track student growth and proficiency.

“By the time schools review these scores, it’s too late to make changes. Students don’t have a chance to account for what they may have missed, and educators are unable to effectively gauge a student’s progress and help kids who need it in real time,” Linting said. “These are commonsense changes that are sorely needed for our students.”

The advancing education reforms are contained within House Bills 4156-59. They now move to the Senate for consideration.