Students in high school, grade 11 take on of two assessments: the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), a summative assessment based on Michigan’s content standards, designed to measure achievement and growth effectively for most students, given as part of the Michigan Merrit Exam; and MI-Access, a test based on Michigan’s alternate content standards, designed for students with moderate to severe cognitive impairments whose IEP (Individualized Education Program) indicates that M-STEP, even with accommodations, is not appropriate. MI-Access tests come in three varieties: Functional Independence (FI), Supported Independence (SI), and Participation (P). More information about the MI-Access test and test accommodations for students can be found at the MI-Access website.

For M-STEP, 11^th grade students are tested in Science, and Social Studies.

For MI-Access, 11^th grade students are tested in ELA, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

Important Note About Spring 2018 Science M-STEP:

The Science M-STEP Field Test was administered in Spring 2018. The purpose of a field test is to determine whether the test is measuring the intended Michigan Science Standards. Because this was a field test, scores will not be reported for individual students or schools within MiSchoolData.

MI-Access tests from years prior to 2014-15 will show the content tested, not the grade in which the test was taken. MI-Access FI tests also included reading and writing in place of ELA from 2009-10 to 2013-14, while SI and P tests continued to use ELA.

You can explore the M-STEP and MI-Access reports by entity (school, district, intermediate school district, and statewide), by subject (ELA, math, science, or social studies), and by different demographic factors such as gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

The M-STEP report shows student performance, scaled score, and proficiency in ELA, math, science, and social studies. 

The Performance Level view for M-STEP and MI-Access provides a snapshot and trend view of student performance by performance levels (student count and percent proficient) for each assessment subject.  For M-STEP Overall subjects Science, and Social Studies the performance levels are advanced, proficient, partially proficient, and not proficient. The MI-Access performance levels are Surpassed, Attained, and Emerging Towards.

The snapshot data charts are comprised of horizontal, stacked bar charts, where the performance levels are displayed.  The charts have an interactive legend which allows for the user to select/de-select bars, sort data alphabetically, and to reset the graph.  The trend data charts are comprised of line graphs with data points reflected for each year of assessment.  The M-STEP and MI-Access trend view allows the user to see the trends in performance over time by clicking on the performance level toggle at the top of the chart. 

For more information on the Performance Levels refer to the MDE 2015 M-STEP and MME Performance Level (PL) Descriptors document.

Exploring the M-STEP and MI-Access reports can answer questions like:

How well did my ISD’s/district’s/school’s students perform on the M-STEP assessment?

Select your specific location in the Edit Report function by using a keyword search or entering the location of your choice. Select the content area you wish to review as well as demographic features within the report category drop down. Select view report.

How well did my district’s/school’s students perform on the MI-Access assessments?

Select your specific location in the Edit Report function by using a keyword search or entering the location of your choice. Select MI-Access in the assessment type dropdown. Select which MI-Access assessment data you would like to see. Select view report.

What was the breakdown by grade level of proficiency for our students on the M-STEP?

After selecting your location, choose all grades (compared) in the grade level content dropdown. Select view report.

I would like to examine the complete data for all the schools in the state. How can I get that report?

Select the Download/Print button at the top of the page. This will provide a spreadsheet of the statewide data file.

How can I get a spreadsheet to examine the data by entity? 

Select the Download/Print button at the top of the page. This will provide a spreadsheet of the data from your current search settings. You can download the spreadsheet as a PDF or .CSV file. If you want to view unsuppressed data for your school, sign in with the secure login given to you by your school administrator.

The M-STEP report reflects how students are performing on statewide assessments of learning.

The purpose of the state testing program is to provide teachers, parents, and other stakeholders with a point-in-time picture of what students know and are able to do in key content areas. It also satisfies requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015; and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as reauthorized in 2004.  

The M-STEP tests, which are given as part of the MME, are administered in the late spring of the school year; data are updated as available after scoring is completed.

This report includes all valid tests taken by public school students. The only valid scores that are excluded are for private school or home schooled students.

The reports are aggregated by the building, district, and ISD where the test was taken, not where the student was enrolled. 

For more information on M-STEP performance levels follow the Performance Level Descriptions document.

For more information on specific grade level standards for math refer to the Math Crosswalks: Claims, Targets, and Standards document.

For more information on specific grade level standards for ELA refer to the ELA Crosswalks: Claims, Targets, and Standards document.

Report Labels

Location/Entity:  You can select and compare data at different entity levels: statewide, by intermediate school district (ISD), by school district, and by individual schools that include all local education agency (LEA) and public school academy (PSA) schools. Public school academies, also known as charter schools, are considered their own school district.  

LEA:  Local educational agency such as a school district or charter school/public school academy (PSA). 

Math:  For M-STEP Mathematics is a comprehensive subject that measures students on content standards in the areas of Concepts and Procedures, Problem Solving, Communicating Reasoning, and Modeling and Data Analysis. 

Science:  Grade 4: The elementary M-STEP science test includes items that measure grade-level content expectations for grades 2, 3, and 4.  Grade 7: The middle school science M-STEP science test includes items that measure grades 5, 6, and 8.

Social Studies:  Grade 5: The elementary M-STEP social studies test includes items that measure grade level content expectations for grades 3, 4, and 5.  Grade 8: The middle school M-STEP social studies test includes items that measure grade level content expectations for grades 6, 7, and 8.

Economically Disadvantaged (ED): Students who have been determined to be eligible for free or reduced-price meals via locally gathered and approved family applications under the National School Lunch program, are in households receiving food (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or cash (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) assistance, are homeless, are migrant, are in foster care, or, beginning in 2017-18, certain MEDICAID eligible children.  When any of these conditions are present, a student is considered economically disadvantaged.

Race/Ethnicity:  Information about race and ethnicity categories can be found on the CEPI website.

Gender:  The sex of the student, male or female.

English Learners:  English Learners (ELs) are also historically known as English Language Learners (ELL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. ELs are students who speak a language other than English as their primary language and have difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding English. 

Students With Disabilities:   Students in the selected school district with one or more specific impairments that require special education or related services and have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). 

Performance Level:  A way of categorizing student test scores that provides a more detailed description of content mastery than the proficient/not proficient divide. For M-STEP tests, the performance levels are: Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient, Not Proficient. Students who score Advanced or Proficient are considered to be proficient, while those who score Partially Proficient or Not Proficient are not proficient.

Student Advanced or Proficient:  Student who score Advanced or Proficient are considered to be proficient, while those who score Partially Proficient or Not Proficient are not proficient. 

Percent Proficient:  Students who scored proficient on a state standardized assessment as a percentage of students who tested. Depending on the report, this may be restricted only to Full Academic Year (FAY) students or may include all tested students.

Advanced:  The student’s performance exceeds content standards and indicates substantial understanding and application of key concepts defined for Michigan students.  The Student needs support to continue to excel.

Proficient:  The student’s performance indicates understanding and application of key grade level expectations defined for Michigan students. The student needs continued support to maintain and improve proficiency. 

Partially Proficient:  The student needs assistance to improve achievement. The student’s performance is not yet proficient, indicating a partial understanding and application of the grade level content standards defined for Michigan’s students.

Not Proficient:  The student needs intensive intervention and support to improve achievement. The student’s performance is not yet proficient and indicates minimal understanding and application of the grade level expectations defined for Michigan students.

Number Assessed:  The total number of students tested.

Mean Scaled Score:  The average scaled score for students who took the test.

Standard Deviation:  Shows how widely scores vary from the mean; a high standard deviation indicates that scores are more “spread out” (scores are farther away from the mean); a low standard deviation means scores are clustered closer to the mean. 

Disclosure Avoidance

New disclosure avoidance rules were recently implemented on MI School Data. Please see Grades 3-8 and High School Assessments Disclosure Avoidance for more details. 

Data Collection

The Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) collected the data used to compile this report. The databases used include:

• CEPI's Michigan Student Data System (MSDS), to locate the student's high school building, district, and intermediate school district as well as demographics. Specific rules about the collection can be found in the MSDS Collection Details Manual, found under the manuals section.
• The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Bureau of Assessment and Accountability, which sets policies for M-STEP administration, provided the test data.