LANSING - A new test, called M-STEP, will end the MEAP's 40-plus year reign this spring.

It is an online assessment that meets all legislature requirements and expands writing assignments to additional grades.

Its performance task questions and activities are connected to a single theme or scenario, designed to adequately measure a student's depth of understanding, writing and research skills, and comparative analysis. It also includes the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) for those in grade 11.

"There are some designated supports that students can get. And I'll give you one example: Text to speech, meaning that the computer will read items to students. If they need that kind of support. Or read a passage to students. That kind of thing. That's different to revise. With the MEAP test, we had to have adults do that. Reading will now be embedded in the computer," says Patty Trelstad, Deputy Superintendent of Okemos Public Schools.

M-STEP has been designed to measure student growth more efficiently than traditional tests have in the past.