Michigan · M-STEP score reports
M-STEP Scores Explained:
Score Ranges by Grade
Last reviewed against Michigan Department of Education sources
Quick answer
What is a good M-STEP score?
Proficient (Level 3) or Advanced (Level 4). In ELA and math, Proficient starts at 1300 in grade 3, 1400 in grade 4, 1500 in grade 5, 1600 in grade 6 and 1700 in grade 7. In science and social studies it starts at 1500 in grade 5, 1800 in grade 8 and 2100 in grade 11. MDE says the M-STEP is not pass/fail.
Source: MDE: 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports (PDF) · Updated
Next step
M-STEP ELA and math practice, grades 3 to 7
Practice tests built to the real M-STEP, with every answer explained. Pick a grade to see what is on it, or start practicing with an account.
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Practice M-STEP Questions
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What does my child's score mean?
Type the 4-digit scale score from your child's M-STEP Parent Report. For Grade 3 ELA, Proficient starts at 1300 and Advanced at 1317.
Source: MDE: 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports, Section 3
M-STEP score ranges by grade (2026)
These are scale scores, the 4-digit number on the Parent Report. Level 3, highlighted, is Proficient. The first number in Level 1 and the last in Level 4 are the lowest and highest scores possible on that test.
| Grade | Level 1 Not Proficient | Level 2 Partially Proficient | Level 3 Proficient | Level 4 Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 1203-1279 | 1280-1299 | 1300-1316 | 1317-1357 |
| Grade 4 | 1301-1382 | 1383-1399 | 1400-1416 | 1417-1454 |
| Grade 5 | 1409-1480 | 1481-1499 | 1500-1523 | 1524-1560 |
| Grade 6 | 1508-1577 | 1578-1599 | 1600-1623 | 1624-1655 |
| Grade 7 | 1618-1678 | 1679-1699 | 1700-1725 | 1726-1753 |
| Grade | Level 1 Not Proficient | Level 2 Partially Proficient | Level 3 Proficient | Level 4 Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 1217-1280 | 1281-1299 | 1300-1320 | 1321-1361 |
| Grade 4 | 1310-1375 | 1376-1399 | 1400-1419 | 1420-1455 |
| Grade 5 | 1409-1477 | 1478-1499 | 1500-1514 | 1515-1550 |
| Grade 6 | 1518-1578 | 1579-1599 | 1600-1613 | 1614-1650 |
| Grade 7 | 1621-1678 | 1679-1699 | 1700-1715 | 1716-1752 |
| Grade | Level 1 Not Proficient | Level 2 Partially Proficient | Level 3 Proficient | Level 4 Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 | 1425-1476 | 1477-1499 | 1500-1516 | 1517-1574 |
| Grade 8 | 1729-1777 | 1778-1799 | 1800-1824 | 1825-1876 |
| Grade 11 | 2037-2089 | 2090-2099 | 2100-2119 | 2120-2174 |
| Grade | Level 1 Not Proficient | Level 2 Partially Proficient | Level 3 Proficient | Level 4 Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 | 1406-1468 | 1469-1499 | 1500-1516 | 1517-1573 |
| Grade 8 | 1723-1786 | 1787-1799 | 1800-1831 | 1832-1879 |
| Grade 11 | 2025-2081 | 2082-2099 | 2100-2130 | 2131-2177 |
Grade 8 ELA and math are not on the M-STEP: Michigan eighth graders take the PSAT 8/9 for those subjects, and eleventh graders take the SAT with Essay. MDE notes that the lowest and highest science and social studies scores can shift slightly from year to year.
Source: MDE: 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports, Section 3 (Performance Level Scale Score Ranges)
The four performance levels
Level 4: Advanced
Consistently shows advanced knowledge and skills in the Michigan Academic Standards, with deep understanding and a full range of complexity.
Level 3: Proficient
Consistently shows proficient knowledge and skills in the Michigan Academic Standards, with a broad range of complexity.
Level 2: Partially Proficient
Shows foundational knowledge and skills in the Michigan Academic Standards, with a limited range of complexity.
Level 1: Not Proficient
Does not yet consistently show the knowledge and skills in the Michigan Academic Standards for this grade and subject.
The Parent Report's score graphic shows the range for each level and marks which ranges mean “Meets standards” and which mean “Does not meet standards.” MDE also says the M-STEP is a high-bar test: a child at Partially Proficient is not necessarily performing below grade level.
Source: MDE: M-STEP: What Do the Scores Mean? High-bar wording: MDE press release, September 4, 2026.
How to read the Parent Report
Scale score and error band
Each overall score comes with an error band: the range of scores your child would likely get if they took the test several times. A score just above or below a cut could land on the other side on another day.
Above, at/near or below standard
Each claim (ELA and math), domain (science) or discipline (social studies) gets a blue Above Standard, yellow At/Near Standard or orange Below Standard indicator. These are based on fewer questions, so they are less precise than the overall level.
Questions to ask the teacher
For ELA and math, the report suggests questions to ask your child's teacher based on the claim results. Start with any orange claim.
Growth score
For grades 4-7 ELA and math, a growth score from 1 to 99 (50 is average) compares your child's progress with Michigan students who had similar scores the year before.
Not a grade level
MDE says M-STEP reports do not give grade-level equivalents, and scale scores cannot be compared across grades or subjects.
English, Spanish and Arabic
Online Parent Reports come in Spanish and Arabic as well as English.
Source: MDE: 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports (Sections 2 and 6) No grade-level equivalents: MDE, What Do the Scores Mean?
How Michigan students scored in 2026
MDE released the 2026 results on September 4, 2026 and called most rates essentially flat. Between 37.5% and 43.8% of students scored Proficient or Advanced in grades 3-7 ELA, slightly lower than 2025 in every grade. Math ranged from 31.9% in grade 6 to 42.9% in grade 3.
| Grade | Proficient or Advanced, 2025-26 | Proficient or Advanced, 2024-25 | Not Proficient, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 38.2% | 38.9% | 37.1% |
| Grade 4 | 41.3% | 42.4% | 37.7% |
| Grade 5 | 43.8% | 44.4% | 34.8% |
| Grade 6 | 37.5% | 38.6% | 36.8% |
| Grade 7 | 38.4% | 39.2% | 33.8% |
| Grade | Proficient or Advanced, 2025-26 | Proficient or Advanced, 2024-25 | Not Proficient, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 42.9% | 42.7% | 33.1% |
| Grade 4 | 39.4% | 39.4% | 30.5% |
| Grade 5 | 32.2% | 32.9% | 41.6% |
| Grade 6 | 31.9% | 31.5% | 39.4% |
| Grade 7 | 33.3% | 33.3% | 40.9% |
M-STEP science, Proficient or Advanced in 2026: grade 5 40.0%, grade 8 39.2%. Grade 8 PSAT 8/9: 64.8% in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 33.2% in math.
Source: MI School Data: Grades 3-8 State Testing (Includes PSAT Data), statewide Release date and 'essentially flat': MDE press release, September 4, 2026.
Grade 3 ELA: the reading support flag
Michigan's K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law (MCL 380.1280f) ties one M-STEP score to extra help. On grade 3 ELA reports, a scale score of 1279 or below (Not Proficient) is flagged as eligible for K-12 Literacy Law Supports. A score of 1280 or above is not flagged.
The same section of state law also has rules on holding back some third graders. Michigan amended those rules in 2023 with Senate Bill 12, which became Public Act 7 of 2023. If your child is flagged, ask the school what reading support it will provide and how it will track progress.
Source: MDE: 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports (K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law Data) 2023 change: Michigan Legislature, Senate Bill 12 of 2023.
When scores reach families
Your child's school hands out the printed Parent Report. Districts connected to MiLearn also let parents see reports online through the district's student information system login; in 2026 those were open by September 10. If you have not received a report, ask your school.
Source: MDE: Spotlight, August 27, 2026 MiLearn: Spotlight, September 10, 2026. Spring 2027 window: MDE 3-Year Summative Testing Schedule.
Getting ready for next spring
Start with any claim, domain or discipline marked Below Standard, then any subject below Proficient. Our M-STEP practice pages by grade:
More on the test itself: M-STEP prep for Michigan grades 3-8.
Questions parents ask
What is a passing score on the M-STEP?
MDE says the M-STEP is not pass/fail. Scores fall into four levels, and Proficient (Level 3) is the state's mark for meeting the standards. In ELA and math the Proficient score follows a pattern: 1300 in grade 3, 1400 in grade 4, 1500 in grade 5, 1600 in grade 6 and 1700 in grade 7. Science and social studies use 1500 in grade 5, 1800 in grade 8 and 2100 in grade 11.
Is Partially Proficient bad on the M-STEP?
Partially Proficient (Level 2) means foundational knowledge with a limited range of complexity. MDE's 2026 results release says the M-STEP is a high-bar test, and students who score Partially Proficient are not necessarily performing below grade level.
What is a good M-STEP score?
Proficient or Advanced. Advanced starts at 1317 in grade 3 ELA and 1321 in grade 3 math, and rises with each grade, up to 1726 in grade 7 ELA and 1716 in grade 7 math. The ranges table on this page lists every grade.
What is the highest possible M-STEP score?
It depends on the test. In the 2026 ranges the top score is 1357 in grade 3 ELA, 1753 in grade 7 ELA and 2177 in grade 11 social studies, the highest of any M-STEP test. MDE notes that science and social studies minimum and maximum scores can shift slightly from year to year.
Does M-STEP give a grade-level equivalent?
No. MDE says M-STEP reports do not provide grade-level equivalency data. A grade 4 score says nothing about how a child does on grade 5 standards.
Can I compare my child's M-STEP scores across grades or subjects?
Not the numbers. MDE says scale scores are not comparable across grades or subjects. Compare the performance level instead: MDE says levels can reasonably be compared across subjects within a grade.
What does the grade 3 reading flag mean?
Under Michigan's K-12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law, a grade 3 ELA score of 1279 or below (Not Proficient) is flagged on the report as eligible for K-12 Literacy Law Supports, extra reading help from the school. A score of 1280 or above is not flagged.
Will my third grader be held back because of the M-STEP?
Michigan changed its third grade reading law in 2023 (Senate Bill 12, Public Act 7 of 2023, which amended the retention section of the law). The 2026 Interpretive Guide describes the grade 3 ELA score as a flag for extra reading support. Ask your school how it uses the score.
Why is there no grade 8 ELA or math on the M-STEP?
Michigan eighth graders take the PSAT 8/9 for ELA and math. M-STEP covers ELA and math in grades 3-7, and science and social studies in grades 5, 8 and 11.
What is the M-STEP growth score?
Growth scores run from 1 to 99, with 50 as average, and compare your child's progress with Michigan students who had similar scores the year before. A growth score of 60 means more growth than 60% of those students. Growth data appear for grades 4-7 ELA and math.
When do M-STEP scores come out?
Printed Parent Reports usually reach schools in late August. In 2026 they began reaching schools on August 28, and MDE released the statewide results on September 4. Districts set up for MiLearn also give parents online reports.
Score reports in other states
Moved states, or comparing? Each guide shows that state's cut scores and levels from its own education department.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these Michigan Department of Education, MI School Data and Michigan Legislature sources. Last reviewed .
- MDE — 2026 Interpretive Guide to M-STEP Reports (Spring 2026, revised August 2026, PDF)
- MDE — M-STEP: What Do the Scores Mean? (updated April 2025, PDF)
- MDE — press release, September 4, 2026: 2026 M-STEP and SAT/PSAT results
- MI School Data — Grades 3-8 State Testing (Includes PSAT Data), statewide, 2024-25 and 2025-26
- Michigan Legislature — Senate Bill 12 of 2023 (Public Act 7 of 2023)
- MDE — Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability, August 27, 2026 (PDF)
- MDE — Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability, September 10, 2026 (PDF)
- MDE — 3-Year Summative Testing Schedule (PDF)