This page provides information and resources for state assessments for 2021-2022.

This spring, DPSCD will administer state tests designed to provide important information on student knowledge and their progress toward being career- and college-ready upon graduation. Results from state assessments will be used to make decisions about the supports that students need.

For state testing, DPSCD is required to meet 95 percent participation of all its students for all tests. DPSCD families can support the District in meeting this goal by ensuring their students are well rested and regularly attend school during state testing. To learn more about this requirement, please read the letter from the State Superintendent, Michael Rice (English | Spanish | Arabic).

Students can use different platforms to help prepare for state tests: 

• For the M-STEP, students can practice using the online testing platform. For students who require paper/pencil tests according to their IEP or 504, they can practice with the paper/pencil item set. This practice helps students become familiar with the testing features and question formats. It will not help students with the actual content of the test. Also, families can support their students by watching and discussing a brief M-STEP introduction video (2m12s) together.
• For MI-Access Functional Independence (FI), students who participate can practice using this online testing platform. Once you access the platform, click on MI-Access to select the appropriate practice item set.
• For the SAT and PSAT, students can use Khan Academy to get additional practice. 

Students who are English learners take an additional state test each year, called the WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS (for English learners who are following an alternative course of study per their IEPs) assessment. These tests help students, families and educators better understand how well English learners are progressing towards English proficiency. The District will continue to screen new students to determine if they qualify for support from our bilingual programs.

Current testing windows are listed below. For more information about when in the window your student will test, contact your school.