By Franklin A. Fudail

In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed a law that requires schools to identify learners who are struggling with reading and writing and to provide additional help. The law states that third graders may repeat third grade if they are more than one grade level behind beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.

In February 2021, I received a press release from United Way of The Lakeshore that stated 61% of Muskegon County 3rd-graders are not reading at grade level. During the COVID pandemic, the federal government sent schools an unprecedented $190 Billion-dollars. Michigan schools(public and charter)received over $6 billion dollars. Muskegon County Schools received tens of millions of dollars.

According to April 11, 2022, Detroit Free Press article, schools are spending the money on everything from athletic fields to food trucks. Two weeks ago Bridge Michigan, a non-partisan, non-profit Michigan news source reported very few, only about 27% of Michigan schools are using the funds to add tutoring programs to address the reading and other academic deficiencies.

Parents you have a crucial decision to make this summer for the 2022-23 school year. You can gamble and hope your child is among the 39% of 3rd-graders in Muskegon County that won’t be forced to repeat third grade due to an inadequate kindergarten, first, and second-grade education or you can look for a school that pledges to have a robust kindergarten reading program, guaranteed tutoring for all students at no cost to families and a philosophy that no resource will be spared to help your child if they are facing academic challenges. Thid strong commitment to your child comes from the new Muskegon Maritime Academy!

If you have a child that is not being academically challenged at their present school, you need to strongly consider Muskegon Maritime Academy. Our K-5 science, technology, engineering, and math program will be the best in the county and our naval structure and alternative activities like martial arts and fencing will keep your child optimistically engaged and enjoying the educational process, all while being challenged to elevate, advance and maximize their potential.

You will only get one chance to make the right choice. Choose the Muskegon Maritime Academy, “the Harvard of Elementary Schools”. To enroll visit www.MuskegonMaritimeAcademy.org.