State Testing at All Buildings

Dear Flint Families,

As we enter March, I want to thank you for a successful start to 2023. We are proud of our scholars and look forward to all that we will accomplish together throughout the rest of the year. To best assess scholars’ proficiencies in the pursuit of academic excellence, we will start our annual series of standardized tests in March. DIBELS testing for grades K-3 and NWEA testing for grades K-11 runs from March 6 to March 17, evaluating math, reading and science skills. Results from these tests will inform classroom instruction and scholar growth initiatives for the district.

Following spring break, we will begin administering our state standardized tests. Scholars in grades 3-11 will participate in the areas of math, social studies, science, English language arts and writing. You may have heard of these state assessments referred to as the M-STEP, MI-Access, PSAT or SAT. A comprehensive calendar of testing across grade levels can be found here.

As a reminder: spring break runs from March 27 to March 31. Whether you are traveling or staying home, spring break is a great time to refresh and prepare to finish out the school year strong.

While we know state assessments can seem daunting, it is essential that scholars are present and prepared on testing days. Leading up to testing days, I am asking parents to please partner with us by continuing or establishing a routine that includes eating healthy snacks and getting a good night’s rest. Scholars can also complete practice tests found on the State of Michigan’s website. Additionally, gently encouraging your child to do their best will help ensure that scholars are prepared, energized and confident heading into testing.

State assessments are an important aspect of your child’s education—they create a snapshot of scholar development and achievement, providing our district with valuable information about academic progress. For our high school scholars taking the SAT, this could determine college admissions and help them reach their career goals. State assessments also allow us to evaluate curriculum and programming and make the changes needed to best support scholars’ academic journeys.

If you have any questions regarding state assessments, I encourage you to visit the Michigan Department of Education’s website or contact your building principal.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Flint Community Schools and for serving as our partner in your children’s education.

Sincerely,  

Kevelin Jones

Superintendent