Prepare for Success: Michigan M-STEP Resources

It’s hard to believe that the M-STEP assessments are just around the corner! With such concerns as ensuring that your students know the material and feel confident that they have the right mindset and testing strategies, we know that testing time can be extremely stressful for all involved. We’re hoping to help lighten the load (even if only a little bit) by curating all the best testing resources we could get our hands on.

Testing Materials from the MI Department of Education

Did you know that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) offers up a ton of resources free of charge? Well, if you didn’t, now you do! For your convenience, we have compiled the best ones for you here.

State Assessment in Michigan:  What It Is, What It Means, and What It Offers
Let’s start with the basics here. With the countdown officially on, get a sense of features of the assessment and its scheduling.

Test Administration Training Videos & PowerPoint Presentations
These resources provide helpful Information on preparing to administer the test and guides for what to do during and after the test. Or, if you’re more of the technical type, here is the Test Administration Manual.

Released ELA Test Samples (Prompts & Student Essay Scores or Essay Prompts)
Use these resources as a great way to inform students what ELA testing will look like, and even use them as practice!

2018 M-STEP Accommodations Worksheets by Grade
Ensure that all of your students are supported through the test accommodations. Worksheets will help to familiarize yourself with the accommodations for grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11.

M-STEP Guide to Reports
This guide is intended to help educators understand and use the results of the test.

Additional Resources Available
The MDE has tons of additional resources available to cover all your needs—student support, content-specific information, professional development, reports, and more.

Tips and Tricks for Success

It’s safe to say that testing means something a little different to everybody. For teachers and administrators, testing procedures and academic understanding come first. For parents and students, trying to calm those testing nerves might be priority number one. In any case, we’ve organized testing tips and tricks for the many different groups who have testing on the brain.

For District Administrators
Like it or not, we all know that test scores matter a great deal. Prior to test day, review 8 Last-Minute Steps Districts Can Take to Improve Test Scores.

For Principals and Teachers
Testing often falls most heavily on building-level personnel. Check out our 10 Classroom and School Tips to Improve Test Scores.

For Parents
Send home a test-taking checklist for parents and students to review together, such that come test day, learners feel ready to do their best. Grab one for elementary or secondary students.

For Students
Supporting students through test season often means helping them manage the stress associated with this time of year. Dig into our 6 Tips for Teachers to Help Students Manage Stress.

Practice That Ensures That Students Are Test Ready

There is something unique about testing of any kind that requires students to recall information they’ve previously learned and apply it to answer the question at hand. If your students don’t have experience with this—whether it’s through low-stakes formative assessment or high-stakes summative tests—they may struggle on test day.

Fortunately, with sustained and regular practice, your students will grow familiar with retrieving information and similarly be able to show you what they know by way of assessment so that you can adjust instruction up until test day. Check out the following resources to get started.

5 Proven Ways to Get the Most Out of Practice Testing
The old adage “practice makes perfect” is a familiar turn of phrase for a reason. Ensure that you’re getting the most out of every minute your students are spending on practice testing.

3 Ways Online Practice Can Support Your Test Prep Program
As you are considering different options to ensure that your students have achieved standards proficiency, it’s critical that you have a program that’s aligned to the Michigan K–12 Standards. Consider this and other benefits of using an online program.

Start Your FREE Trial of Study Island
A recent study, validated by Marzano Research, confirms that when students spend just 30 minutes a week practicing in Study Island, they achieve significant academic gains. Check out the programs offered in Michigan.