LANSING, Mich — Over the last four years, the Lansing School District has seen many improvements — particularly when it comes to student performance on standardized tests.
- Lansing School District has seen major improvements in MSTEP scores over the past three years, with some subjects and grade levels doubling in performance.
- English Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies scores have all increased significantly, especially among 4th, 5th, and 8th graders.
- District leaders credit educator empowerment and school-specific strategies as key drivers of the success, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Officials are anticipating continued growth in student proficiency as the new school year progresses.
WATCH: Lansing School District students make big strides in state test performance
“It is really quite incredible the change that has happened in this district over the last 4 years,” said Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Shuldiner.
For years, standardized test scores such as those from the MSTEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) were a point of concern, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But today, district officials say they’re seeing a strong turnaround — and the data backs it up.
This year’s MSTEP results show a significant jump in scores across the board.
“Not only did they go up this year, but over the last three years, it's really gone up. In some grades, it actually doubled,” Shuldiner said.
According to the data, English Language Arts scores for Lansing students in grades 3 through 7 have shown steady increases over the past three school years. Math scores for 4th and 5th graders have more than doubled, and social studies scores for 5th and 8th graders have doubled as well.
So, what’s behind this upward trend?
“What are some of the tactics you all are using for this success?” i asked.
“The first thing is to really empower our educators,” Shuldiner responded.
Shuldiner emphasizes that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, the district focuses on working alongside teachers and principals on strategies that work for their unique student populations.
At Riddle Elementary, Principal Dr. Nicole Beard is looking forward to continuing the upward trend
“It’s nice to see that the things we’re starting to put in place are working,” Dr. Beard said. “It’s a data point for us to keep going in some ways and doing course correction in other ways to make sure all of our children are making yearly growth.”
As the new school year begins, district leaders are optimistic about continuing the momentum.
“I’m looking forward to standing here next year telling you how much more test scores have gone up — and how much more of our student population is proficient,” Shuldiner said.
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