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Pandemic affects state assessment scores

ALPENA, Mich. – State testing scores show students lagged in every grade category last school year.

The Michigan Department of Education released standardized test results this week.

36 percent of third– through eighth–grade students across Northeast Michigan tested proficient or advanced in reading.

But that’s still a slight decline from previous years.

One local school superintendent said state education leadership predicted the pandemic would have an affect.

He said the results are no surprise.

“The state superintendent of schools Dr. Rice had put in a request, a second request to federal government to waive that requirement,” said superintendent of Alpena Montmorency Alcona Educational Service District Scott Reynolds. “Without uniformed testing conditions, and adequate testing conditions the results are going to misrepresent achievement.”

Math scores for northeast Michigan students were also low.

Scores dropped to 25 percent compared to 32 percent in 2018.

Reynolds said right now as students return back to class, benchmark testing has already begun.

He said this will help teachers know where students are academically so that additional resources can be provided.