Michigan students showed little improvement on the state's second M-STEP, and more than half of students are not considered proficient in most subjects.
In results released Tuesday the state is highlighting the slight improvement compared to last year, seen in three of the four subjects tested.
The number of kids passing the English Language Arts section rose from 47.3-percent to 47.8-percent.
In Math 37.2-percent passed, up three-tenths of a point from last year.
Science rose a little more than two points to 23.8-percent.
The number of kids who passed Social Studies dropped almost two points to 30.3-percent.
Lansing students scored even lower than the state average, with upwards of 90-percent of students in each grade level scoring "not proficient" or "partially proficient" in most subjects.
When FOX 47 News asked Lansing's Superintendent and the school board about the scores, both had no comment and said they needed time to review the data.
Lansing is part of the Ingham Intermediate School District and Superintendent Scott Koenigsknecht said they're looking over the results for every member district.
"We're concerned abut the success of all of our kids," Koenigsknecht said. "As of today we'll start analyzing that data, reaching out to local school districts, their superintendents, their special ed. directors, their curriculum directors, building principals and begin that work of trying to improve student outcomes."
When the data was released the State Department of Education called the M-STEP an important assessment.
"We have no plans to change the standards, these are rigorous career college standards," said Venessa Keesler, Deputy Superintendent For Educator, Student & School Supports.
"We need to focus on celebrating success but also being honest about where we have to work harder and recognizing that all children learn in their own ways, and so using this test as a piece of the puzzle to help teachers and schools provide students with the services they need," Keesler added.
At the Ingham ISD they're not wasting any time figuring out what changes need to be made.
"We are moving the needle that's a positive sign, but there's much work that needs to be done," Koenigsknecht said.
The ISD already does it's own standardized tests in each member school three times a year. It's based on national proficiency standards, and scores over the past few years show more than half of students are meeting them. However, the district says it's going to factor in these M-STEP scores and see what's working and what changes need to be made.
"We would drill down at every grade level, in every district to help them," explained Roberta Percanti, Director of Student Instructional Services at the Ingham ISD.
Percanti says the ISD looks at results at a district, school, class and even individual student level to better target changes.
"For students that are getting farther behind we really put them at a second tier of instructional support," Percanti added.
According to the Board of Education next year's M-STEP will follow the same standards, but it is considering changes for future years. They're not saying what those could be, just that they want to make improvements that will help teachers and educators.
State officials say there's work to be done, but they're pleased testing times dropped and results are being released four months earlier than last year -- the first time the M-STEP was given.
SAT college entrance exam scores were also released. The SAT was administered to 11th-graders for the first time after Michigan switched from the ACT.
Sixty percent of students were deemed college and career ready in reading and writing, but just 37 percent were college and career ready in math.
You can see the statewide aggregate scores by clicking on the link attached to this story.
