Michigan's bipartisan dyslexia legislation — signed in 2024 after years of advocacy — takes full effect in the 2027–28 school year. For a state that spent a decade near the bottom of national reading rankings, the package is comprehensive: annual dyslexia screening for every K–3 student, teacher training grounded in the science of reading, and evidence-based curriculum for both whole-class instruction and targeted intervention, all layered on top of the existing Read by Grade Three assessments and reading plans.

What do Michigan's new laws require?

  • Universal screening, K–3, every year. Not a one-time check — annual screening through third grade, catching both late-emerging difficulty and children who slip after early progress.
  • Science-of-reading training for educators, so screening results land with teachers equipped to act on them.
  • Evidence-based curriculum for core instruction and for the targeted interventions flagged students receive.
  • Continuity with Read by Grade Three: the existing K–3 assessments and individual reading improvement plans remain in place; the new requirements deepen rather than replace them.

What's the timeline between now and 2027–28?

The state is already moving: Michigan released its preliminary list of approved screeners and curricula in December 2025, with vetting continuing through the fall. Districts now face their own sequence — choose a screener, choose or confirm curriculum, and schedule training for hundreds of thousands of educator-hours — and the districts that treat 2026–27 as a practice year will hit the mandate ready. The ones that wait will be learning the screener the same semester they're required to use it.

What should Michigan families do before 2027?

Don't wait for the effective date — the law's arrival is your leverage now:

  1. Ask which approved screener and curriculum your district has selected — and if the answer is "still deciding," ask when the decision comes and who's making it.
  2. Ask about the training timeline. Will K–3 teachers be trained before the mandate, or scrambling during it?
  3. If your child struggles now, act now. Nothing in the 2027–28 date suspends your current rights: you can request a comprehensive evaluation in writing today (the letter is here), and existing Read by Grade Three data can support the request.
  4. Put the questions on the record. A school-board comment or written inquiry creates the paper trail that keeps preparation honest.

What should Michigan educators do?

Start the training early if your district offers it — the science-of-reading coursework is substantial, and teachers consistently report it changes their practice most when there's time to apply it with coaching rather than cram it. Free options are already expanding statewide and nationally (our guide to free training), and educators who arrive at 2027 already fluent will carry their buildings.

Frequently asked questions

My child is in second grade now — will the law come too late for them? The mandate may, but your rights don't wait: request screening data and, if warranted, a full evaluation now. Early intervention in 2026 beats compliant intervention in 2028.

Does annual K–3 screening mean my child will be screened even after a good year? Yes — that's the design. Some reading difficulty emerges later, and annual screening catches it.

Where can I see the approved screener list? The Michigan Department of Education publishes the approved lists; your district can tell you which option it selected.

Source: "What's new in literacy, dyslexia laws" — Michigan Education Association