My 9yr old stepson has aspergers syndrome and academically he seems to be getting worse?

He is nine and can't read or spell hardly anything. I just married my husband this year so I really dont know how much work he has done with him in the past, but he can read at a five year olds level and can hardly spell and his handwritting lookes like a toddlers. My husband just rolls with it, I mean he helps him with his school work but pretty much just gives him the answers. My question is how can I teach this child to read and comprehend? He is in every special ed cl imaginable but is completely out there when it comes to any kind of school work. I don't know if anyone here has experienced this before, but it's frustrating to say the least. Yes he has mild autism, MILD, but he seems mentally retarded and his IQ is 73....is there some way to reach him? Please no "common sense" answers, obviously we have tried all that. Like I said we are heavily involved in the school system, he just doesn't respond and sometimes I think he doesn't want to?