1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Michigan has taken important steps by requiring research-based reading instruction, but our state must now invest in proven interventions and comprehensive teacher training to make these reforms successful. Currently, only 9% of Michigan school buildings have full-time certified librarians, ranking us 46th nationally. This lack of investment in literacy infrastructure must change. Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI) represents the kind of intervention that produces measurable results. Julie VanLier, a kindergarten teacher in Kentwood, paid out-of-pocket for EBLI certification after moving to a high-poverty school where her previous methods failed. She now reports that 95 to 100 percent of her kindergartners learn to read, with decreased behavior problems. EBLI uses a speech-to-text model starting with sounds rather than letters, aligning with science of reading research. Teachers should not have to fund their own professional development to access training that transforms student outcomes. The Michigan Department of Education has approved 14 tier-1 reading curricula for use beginning in the 2027-28 school year, but curriculum alone does not teach children. Teachers equipped with deep knowledge do. David Pelc, a reading interventionist from Romulus, completed LETRS training through a Michigan Department of Education grant in 2022, followed by UFLI Foundations training through Wayne RESA, and became certified in EBLI. His transformation began during the pandemic when he felt defeated trying to teach struggling readers remotely. He now runs a Michigan-specific Facebook group with 4,300 members and was invited to speak at Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Literacy Summit in Detroit. Patricia Clancy, a state-funded ISD early literacy coach in Midland with 36 years of experience, warns that Reading First, a $1 billion federal initiative under No Child Left Behind, failed due to poor-quality programs and lack of local control. She emphasizes that job-embedded professional training and coaching are critical for effective implementation. I urge you to champion increased state funding specifically for evidence-based interventions like EBLI, comprehensive teacher training programs including LETRS, literacy coaching positions in every district, and school librarians. Teachers need resources, time to practice, and knowledgeable mentors. Our students deserve educators equipped with research-backed tools that work.