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State superintendent candidate Thomas Ahehart prioritizes third‑grade reading, ELL supports and school transparency
Summary
In an interview with the State Board of Education, Dr. Thomas Ahehart said his top priorities would be accelerating third‑grade literacy through in‑year public benchmarks, scaling standards‑referenced grading, and improving supports and funding clarity for English language learners and foster students.
Dr. Thomas Ahehart, a candidate for Michigan state superintendent, told the State Board of Education he would make accelerating third‑grade reading proficiency a top statewide priority. Speaking at his interview, Ahehart said the Department of Education can help by establishing and publicizing in‑year benchmarks so communities can monitor progress rather than rely on end‑of‑year “autopsies.”
Ahehart said he favors a governance approach he implemented in Des Moines in which boards spend more than half of meeting time on student outcomes and districts set 3‑ to 5‑year SMART goals tailored to local challenges, such as third‑grade literacy or ninth‑grade algebra completion. “If you have too many priorities, you don't have any priorities,” he said, arguing that targeted emphasis produces faster gains.
On grading, Ahehart described a move in Des Moines from traditional grades to standards‑referenced grading—separating behavior and attendance from letter grades so marks reflect demonstrated learning. He said that change correlated with “a significant increase in our students of color and our students in poverty testing at the proficient level” and higher engagement in grades.
Ahehart also highlighted work to support English language learners. He recounted legislative advocacy in Iowa that produced changes in funding weights for different ELL needs—giving higher weights for refugees and students with greater instructional needs—and said similar targeted funding strategies could yield “a huge impact” for Michigan districts with diverse ELL populations.
The candidate committed to tackling a Michigan‑specific problem raised by the board: foster students whose transcripts fail to follow them, risking graduation. When asked whether he would prioritize solving that issue if hired, Ahehart said, “Absolutely,” noting it is among the fastest ways to accelerate dropout risk.
Ahehart described several operational levers for literacy improvement: ensuring principals are positioned as instructional leaders who can coach teachers, protecting core instruction time (so pull‑out support does not replace grade‑level instruction), adjusting calendars and minutes to create periodic learning cycles, and narrowing class sizes in K–3 to give early literacy teachers a stronger chance of success.
He also emphasized transparency around literacy funding. When the board noted that $87,000,000 was allocated for literacy changes in the last state budget and asked whether approved budgets and grant spending should be reportable to citizens, Ahehart supported transparency “a step back from line item” reporting so the public can confirm funds were distributed as intended.
The board adjourned for a brief recess at the end of the interview; the hiring consultant (HYA) will report tomorrow on next steps.
