Michigan schools prep for a testing season like no other
Mark Johnson, Lansing State Journal
LANSING — In a fitting end to a school year like none other, Michigan students are preparing for the annual M-STEP — but it’s unclear whether they'll actually have to take it.
The window for schools to administer the state’s standardized test for third through eighth graders runs April 12 to May 21. But lawmakers and educators want the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, known as the M-STEP, called off for a second straight year.
State and local officials last year opposed administering the test, arguing against the idea of testing while COVID-19 upended Michigan's public schools. They continue to oppose it, but some argue the assessments will help schools determine where students need to catch up and canceling the test would hinder their ability to give students that specific assistance.