345 South Warren, South Lyon, Michigan 48178 248-573-8127

Mission Statement

In support of community, the mission of the South Lyon Community Schools is to provide the highest quality

educational process so that all students can excel as individuals and become contributing members of society

Preparing the Community for

Spring 2015

Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

2

Table of Contents

Changes in State of Michigan Tests ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Student Readiness in South Lyon ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Length of Testing Sessions ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Test Format and Structure ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

State of Michigan Testing Calendar – Spring 2015 M-STEP and MME ................................................................................... 6

Accommodations for Students ............................................................................................................................................... 7

Alternate Assessments – MI-ACCESS ...................................................................................................................................... 7

Grade 11 College Entrance Exams and Work Skills Testing .................................................................................................... 8

Scheduling of the ACT and WorkKeys Test Sessions ........................................................................................................... 8

Helpful Online Resources ........................................................................................................................................................ 9

How student writing will be scored .................................................................................................................................... 9

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

3

Changes in State of Michigan Tests

With the adoption of Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social

Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, new state

assessments of student progress were needed. States across the country have been preparing new tests, and

some have adopted the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA). The State of Michigan developed a test that is

similar to the SBA to replace the former Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP).

The new State of Michigan tests are referred to as M-STEP, which stands for Michigan Student Test of

Educational Progress. More information about M-STEP is available on the State of Michigan Department of

Education (MDE) website: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_70117---,00.html . The following

information is taken directly from the MDE website:

M-STEP replaces the forty year-old Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and moves test administration from the fall to the spring of each school year. This will allow student measurement to be based upon current versus prior year learning.

As in previous years, English language arts (reading, writing and listening) and mathematics will be assessed in grades 3-8. To reflect current year testing, science will move from being assessed in grades 5 and 8 to grades 4 and 7, and social studies from grades 6 and 9 to being assessed in grades 5 and 8 to measure current year growth.

The Michigan Merit Examination (MME) in 11th grade consists of ACT Plus Writing (a college entrance exam) and WorkKeys (a work skills assessment) and the M-STEP summative assessments which will measure student growth in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

In the past, grade 11 students took the MME. That test consisted of ACT Plus Writing, WorkKeys, and a State

of Michigan summative test. With the newly developed tests, grade 11 students will take the ACT Plus Writing,

WorkKeys, and the M-STEP summative assessment that will measure growth in English language arts,

mathematics, science, and social studies. Beginning in spring 2016, the ACT portion of the MME will be

replaced with a new, redesigned College Board SAT. The ACT and WorkKeys exams are the only pencil and

paper tests that will be administered in spring 2015. These tests are timed and are a part of the grade 11

MME.

To preview the M-STEP online assessment, visit this website using Google Chrome as your browser:

https://wbte.drcedirect.com/MI/portals/mi/ott1

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

4

Student Readiness in South Lyon

Students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 will be taking M-STEP tests on computers. All of the M-STEP

assessments are designed as computer tests. M-STEP English language arts and mathematics tests will be

based on the Common Core State Standards for a child’s grade level. The questions include multiple choice

items, computer enhanced questions where students might click and drag items, short answer responses, and

full essays.

Science and social studies tests will also be administered online. These test items will look similar to the paper

and pencil items students have experienced in MEAP testing.

Length of Testing Sessions

The State of Michigan is providing three-week testing sessions for each of grades 3 through 8, allowing

flexibility in actual test dates and times.

For instance, all grade 6 students in the State of Michigan will be taking tests in English Language Arts and

mathematics. Both of these tests are made up of several sections. The State of Michigan has assigned the

same three weeks as the testing window for all students in grade 6 across the state. Individual schools

determine the best testing schedule to meet their needs, using the three weeks beginning May 18 and ending

June 5, 2015, for grade 6 testing.

Students will not necessarily take a test every day during the three-week window, and they will not

necessarily be scheduled to take all of the three parts of the English Language Arts or Mathematics

tests at one time.

The three-week periods include all make-up testing, all content areas, and all test sections. Administrators and

teachers in each school will be setting testing schedules that will be best for all students.

Grade 11 students may be tested anytime during the full testing period. A chart of the testing schedule is

provided on the following pages.

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

5

Test Format and Structure

Both the English language arts and mathematics tests are made up of three parts:

1. A computer test that is completed online

2. A classroom activity that is NOT completed online but is a lesson presented by the classroom teacher

3. A performance task that is completed online after the classroom activity.

Computer Tests: (All grades)

This part of the test may be given in two sessions, or with a break provided if given in one longer session.

Schools have the flexibility of scheduling the computer test according to class schedules and computer

availability.

Classroom Activity: (South Lyon students in grade 11 will not participate in this section of the test.)

The purpose of the Classroom Activity is to provide all students with the same basic information that will be

needed to complete the online Performance Task. The classroom activity is a 30-minute lesson that can take

place up to three days before the online Performance Task is completed. Students who are absent from the

classroom activity will have opportunity to participate in the classroom lesson before they complete the online

Performance Task.

Performance Task

These tasks are based on the Classroom Activity that is led by a teacher. All students have the same

information to use during the testing session. The Performance Task for English Language Arts will include

multiple-choice questions, interactive computer items, short responses, and a full essay. The English

Language Arts Performance Task may be administered over two days. The rubrics used for scoring written

essays can be found on the M-STEP website: http://www.mi.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_70117---,00.html .

The Performance Task for Mathematics is administered online and will include numerical responses as well as

written responses to explain the mathematical work or answer questions related to the mathematics.

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

6

State of Michigan Testing Calendar – Spring 2015 M-STEP and MME

GRADE April 13 April 20 April 27 May 4 May 11 May 18 May 25 June 1 TOTAL Expected Time Testing

3 English Language Arts, Mathematics

2 subjects: 7 hrs during 3-week window

4 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science

3 subjects: 8 hrs 40 mins during 3-week window

5 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social

Studies

3 subjects: 8 hrs 40 mins during

3-week window

6 English Language Arts, Mathematics

2 subjects: 7 hrs 30 mins during 3-week window

7 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science

3 subjects: 9 hrs 10 mins during 3-week window

8 English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social

Studies

3 subjects: 9 hrs 10 mins during

3-week window

9 MME - English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies 4 subjects: 11 hrs 20 mins during 8-week window

*Schedules for Grade 11 testing are flexible during the entire 8-week testing window set by the State of Michigan. This

flexibility allows schools to work around dates for Advanced Placement and other national and international testing

periods.

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

7

Accommodations for Students

The new M-STEP assessments provide universal accommodations for all students. The tests are not timed,

and the online portions of the tests provide built-in tools that are made available when needed. Other

accommodations normally provided through Individual Education Plans or 504 Plans will also be available.

For more details, see the Assessment Supports for Spring 2015 available from the Michigan Department of

Education at http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-22709---,00.html .

Alternate Assessments – MI-ACCESS

MI-ACCESS is the alternate assessment given to students as identified in their IEP. Students who take MI-

ACCESS will not take M-STEP. The following text is taken from Michigan Department of Education

publications:

MI-ACCESS alternate assessments will be administered during a seven-week window from April 13

through May 29, 2014.

The MI-ACCESS Functional Independence (FI) Assessment will continue to be used (with

accommodations as needed) for students identified by an IEP. This year it will be an online assessment

including ELA and Mathematics (grades 3-8 and 11), Science (grades 4, 7 and 11), and Social Studies

(Grades 5, 8, and 11). Social Studies is required for the first time in Spring 2015 as an operational

assessment [alternate assessment]. The questions will be what the students are used to seeing for MI-

Access FI: multiple choice (question and three answer choices). Unlike the M-STEP, there will not be

any technology enhanced items [computer interactive activities] this year, and the constructed response

[written response] items (Expressing Ideas) will be completed on paper by all students.

The MI-Access Supported Independence and Participation Assessments for students identified by an

IEP, will remain the same as last year, including ELA and Mathematics (grades 3-8 & 11), and Science

(grades 4, 7, and 11).

From “Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability” (November 20, 2014; January 8, 2015)

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

8

Grade 11 College Entrance Exams and Work Skills Testing

The State of Michigan is committed to providing a college entrance exam and a work skills test for all grade 11

students. Since 2007, the state has included the ACT college entrance exam as part of the Michigan Merit

Exam for all grade 11 students. This spring, the State of Michigan will still use the ACT plus Writing college

entrance exam.

Scheduling of the ACT and WorkKeys Test Sessions Grade 11 students will take the ACT and WorkKeys tests before the M-STEP portion of the MME. The

schedule for ACT testing has not changed, and initial testing dates are scheduled for early March.

As outlined in the sections above, grade 11 students will take the M-STEP online assessments at a time

that is determined by school administrators. Students will not take all of the tests at one time.

The M-STEP test for grade 11 is an important assessment for all students. It is designed to provide feedback

on how well our students are progressing toward mastery of important standards identified by the Common

Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics, as well standards for success in Science

and social studies. Districts will be using the results of these assessments to adjust curriculum and instruction

to help all students become college and career ready. We anticipate receiving valuable data that will indicate

how well our students are performing when compared to students across the state who are receiving the same

curriculum in the same grades.

Moving from MEAP to M-STEP February 2015

9

Helpful Online Resources

State of Michigan Department of Education (MDE)

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_70117---,00.html

Samples of Classroom Activities and Performance Tasks for each grade are posted on the M-STEP website:

Grades 3–8: http://michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_70117_70118---,00.html

Grade 11: http://michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_70117_70122---,00.htm

How student writing will be scored Students will not be asked to write in all modes of writing. The type of writing students are asked to complete

may vary by grade. Tests may require students to write in two different modes of writing. All students should be

prepared to answer any type of writing prompt. The scoring of student writing will be determined by the rubrics

developed by grade level and mode of writing. Use these links to review the elements of writing that are

important.

Grade Writing Mode Rubrics

3-8 Narrative: Source material will serve as inspiration for the constructed response, text inspired rather than text based.

3-5 Informational: Students will write to inform an audience, making reference to the source material.

6-11 Explanatory: Students will write to explain a subject, analyzing source material in their explanation.

3-5 Opinion: Students will form and defend an opinion, supported by information from the source material.

6-11 Argumentative: Students will compose an argument, using evidence from the source materials to form and support claims. In Grades 7-11, the students will use the source material also to form counterclaims.

10