After a well-deserved spring break, students, parents, and staff are now preparing for state assessments. The Michigan Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) will be given over the next several weeks for students in grades three through eight. In addition, the PSAT will be administered to all students in grades eight through ten and the MME to all students in grade eleven. Seniors who have not previously taken the MME are required to take the test as well.
An overview of grade level testing is below. Specific M-STEP grade and subject level testing schedules are available at each school office.
● Grades 3, 4, 6, 7- M-STEP English language arts and mathematics
● Grade 5- M-STEP English language arts, math, social studies and science
● Grade 8- M-STEP science and social studies and PSAT 8/9 (April 13)
● Grade 9- PSAT 8/9 (April 18)
● Grade 10- PSAT 10 (April 19)
● Grade 11- MME (April 12-14)
On April 12-14, grade eleven students will sit for the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). The MME has three required components, each given on a specific date. The science and social studies M-STEP will be given on April 12, the SAT with Essay college entrance exam on April 13, and the ACT WorkKeys on April 14.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their students about state testing, its importance and purpose. Testing is a regular part of learning, and the results provide an important snapshot of student achievement and progress. The resulting data is also helpful for schools and districts to evaluate curriculum and programming effectiveness. Further, the Read by Third Grade law means third graders may be retained if they are more than a year behind in reading, though Superintendents have wide discretion to issue exceptions based on individual student circumstances. For juniors, the SAT test results may be used for college admission decisions. Thus, it is important that students take the tests seriously and perform at their best.
Test scores will be available in August and parents can reach out to their child’s school counselor, teacher, or principal to discuss test results.
Parents can help reduce student anxiety by explaining that the test is just one measure of student achievement and can help identify strengths and areas that may need additional attention and effort. Students should get a good night’s sleep, eat a good breakfast and put forth their best effort. In addition, parents and students have access to sample test questions and practice tests online. Students in grades K-8 and 11 can access sample M-STEP items at (https://wbte.drcedirect.com/MI/portals/mi) using the Chrome browser. Students in grades 8-11 can find sample practice tests for the PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and SAT on the College Board website.
In other news, I am thrilled to report that all winter athletic teams earned Academic All-State honors. Congratulations to the wrestling and girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams for making the grade!
Upcoming Dates to Note:
April 13 – Kindergarten RoundUp, 6:00 p.m.
April 23 – Middle school Solo & Ensemble
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