Michigan falls behind the U.S. average in math and reading levels.
The Nation's Report Card, a standardized test given to fourth and eighth graders every two years, was released Thursday and shows that Michigan's third graders are lagging in math and reading while eighth graders are lagging in math skills. Data shows that only 30% of 8th grade students are proficient in math compared to a national average of 34%. However, students in the fourth grade are trailing in both math and reading. Michigan's scores have remained stagnant, for the most part, in the past couple years, while the nation's scores has risen. Education officials, however, feel confident that with the implementation of Common Core Standards, scores will improve in the years to come.