Students in third through eighth grade in Michigan are tested in math, reading and writing. Fifth and eighth graders are also tested in science, while grades six and nine are tested in social studies. Private schools are not required to administer the MEAP, although some choose to do so.
The MEAP test scores report the student's level of proficiency in a subject. Students are rated from level 4, not proficient, through level 1, advanced. Level 3 is partially proficient and level 2 is proficient. The goal of Michigan's educational standards is for all students to score at or above proficiency.
MEAP scores have risen in Michigan for five years in a row as of 2010. Questions have arisen, however, as to how well the MEAP assesses what Michigan students actually learn. A National Center for Education Statistics study suggests the MEAP's standards for a "proficient" score are low when compared to other states. Additionally, average Michigan scores on other standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT have not risen along with MEAP scores.