This spring students will be taking the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) and PSAT 8 Tests (8th grade only). The testing window for administering these tests begins Monday, April 8th. All 8th graders will be tested during the first three weeks of the testing window (the last day for testing for 8th graders will be Friday, April 26th). The 6th and 7th graders will begin testing during the week of April 29th and complete testing before Friday, May 17th.
This year, 8th graders will take the PSAT 8 Tests (Evidence Based Reading and Writing and Math) in addition to M-Step Social Studies tests and M-Step Science tests. The PSAT 8 Tests will be given on Wednesday, April 17th. These tests are timed and will take students 2 hours and 35 minutes to complete. If your child needs additional time to take these tests as documented in an IEP or 504 plan, he/she will take that test at a later date during that week; some EL students will be given extended time to test. Students who miss the April 17th testing date will be required to take the tests during the PSAT 8/9 make-up testing window which ends on Friday, April 26th. The M-Step Social Studies and M-Step Science tests will be given on Wednesday, April 24th. All tests will be administered electronically beginning this school year.
Students in grades 6 and 7 will take the English Language Arts and the Mathematics assessments, which will include both open-ended responses and multiple choice questions. These tests are very difficult and measure how students apply knowledge. These tests will be administered during the morning over a two week period, starting Tuesday, April 30th. Any make-up tests will be given to students as needed prior to the end of each testing window.
Here is the proposed schedule that we will follow for M-Step/PSAT 8 testing:
PSAT & M-STEP Testing Schedule: Grade 8
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| April 15 | April 16 | April 17 PSAT 8/9 Testing | April 18 PSAT 8/9 Testing (SE, 504 Plan,EL) | April 19 PSAT 8/9 Make-up Testing |
| April 22 PSAT 8/9 Make-up Testing | April 23 PSAT 8/9 Make-up Testing | April 24 M-Step Science (AM) M-Step Social Studies (PM) | April 25 Make-up Testing | April 26 Make-up Testing |
| April 29 M-Step Make-up Testing | April 30 M-Step Make-up Testing |
M-STEP Testing Schedule: Grades 6 & 7
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| April 29 | April 30 6th & 7th Grade M-Step Math | May 1 No Testing (Tentative) | May 2 6th & 7th Grade M-Step Math | May 3 Make-up Testing |
| May 6 | May 7 6th & 7th Grade M-Step ELA | May 8 6th & 7th Grade M-Step ELA | May 9 6th & 7th Grade M-Step ELA | May 10 Make-Up Testing |
| May 13 Make-up Testing | May 14 Make-up Testing | May 15 Make-up Testing | May 16 Make-up Testing | May 17 Make-up Testing |
Please review with your child the following test-taking tips.
Before the Test:
*Develop a positive attitude. Tell yourself, “I will do my best on this test.”
*Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test and eat a healthy breakfast the morning of testing.
*Get up early enough to avoid hurrying to get ready for school.
During the Test:
*Relax and stay calm.
*Listen carefully to the directions the teacher gives.
*Ask questions if you don’t understand what to do.
*Read each question carefully. Find the key words. Try to figure out what the question is really asking.
*Read the entire question and look at all the answer choices.
*Use strategies you learned in class to figure out the answer.
*Take your time picking the best answer; if the test is timed, answer all questions within the allotted time.