Michigan students who think standardized tests are tough now may be in for a rude awakening.
The Michigan Board of Education is considering tough new performance requirements on the MEAP and merit exams.
Joseph Martineau is with the Michigan Department of Education. He says this is the last step in a plan the state’s been working on for the last seven years.
“It really is time for us to look at the end result of K-12 education being readiness for college and career, and not readiness to perform in what we might term the old manufacturing economy.”
Martineau says schools might see a dip in their test scores for the first year. They could also see a negative impact on their Average Yearly Progress score.
But Martineau says students often rise to the challenge when they’re expected to do better.
The new standards could take effect in the 2011/2012 school year.
