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SCOTTVILLE — Mason County Central administrators are preparing for new state literacy and dyslexia requirements that will affect student screening, reading curriculum and teacher training.
The Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 at MCC High School. In addition to administrative and informational reports, the board is scheduled to receive preliminary fall enrollment data and consider hiring a new high school forensics coach and junior varsity softball coach.
In his September board report, Scottville Elementary Principal Chris Etchison states that the district is preparing for Public Act 146, a state literacy and dyslexia law that requires universal reading screening, evidence-based reading curriculum and additional training for educators.
Etchison reports that he and Upper Elementary Principal Jessica Danielson are working with West Shore Educational Service District literacy coaches Jennifer Cordes and Betsy Dotson to finalize the district’s literacy coaching plan for the 2026-2027 school year.
The district’s focus includes ensuring its English language arts curriculum is taught consistently and complies with requirements of the new law.
Among the law’s requirements are universal screening and progress monitoring for reading skills including phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence and decoding. Full district compliance with those screening provisions is required by the 2027-2028 school year.
The law also requires elementary reading curricula based on structured literacy and requires educators providing reading instruction or intervention to complete professional development related to dyslexia and structured literacy.
MCC’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports is also intended to help identify and support students showing characteristics of dyslexia or other reading difficulties.
Etchison’s report also includes Northwest Evaluation Association English language arts assessment data.
The report states that during the 2025-2026 school year, 75% of first-grade students met or exceeded their projected RIT growth scores while 70.5% of second-graders met or exceeded their projected growth. In 2024-2025, 75.8% of first-graders and 65.7% of second-graders met or exceeded projected growth.
The report also tracks one group of students over three school years. Of those students, 57.8% met or exceeded projected growth as kindergartners in 2023-2024. That figure increased to 75.8% when the students were in first grade and was 70.5% when they reached second grade.
Etchison notes that second grade is the first year students are required to read the assessment themselves rather than having it read to them, which can initially affect scores.
The board will also receive a high school report that includes discussion of possible alternatives to Edgenuity, the district’s current online instructional program.
High School Principal Brian Dotson reports that Subject.com is being used by Hart Public Schools and Gateway to Success Academy, with Ludington Area School District planning to use it.
Dotson states that he is hearing the most positive feedback from schools that have switched to Subject.com but recommends comparing several programs with Edgenuity before determining which option best meets MCC students’ needs.
Superintendent Jeff Tuka is scheduled to present preliminary fall 2026 enrollment data to the board.
The high school report lists current MCC High School enrollment at 350 students, compared with 362 during the 2025-2026 school year. Spartan Academy enrollment is 17, compared with 26 last year, while dual enrollment is 21 students, compared with 26 last year.
The number of MCC students attending Summit Tech Center is listed at 93 this year, compared with 60 last year.
Dotson also reports that MCC gained 25 students and lost 17 students over the summer, a net increase of eight students.
The board is also scheduled to consider hiring Nathaniel Petersen as the high school forensics coach and Nicole Wilbur as junior varsity softball coach.
High School Principal Brian Dotson is recommending Petersen, an MCC graduate who participated in forensics as a student and has experience coaching alongside Thomas Richert. Dotson states that Petersen knows the Michigan Interscholastic Forensics Association and has plans to recruit students to the program.
Athletic Director Matt Millspaugh is recommending Wilbur, who served as an assistant JV softball coach during the previous season and has a background as a competitive softball player.
The board is also scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss negotiations with the Mason County Central Education Association.
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