By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

This past spring, students across Michigan participated in M-STEP, PSAT and SAT testing.

The M-STEP is given to third through seventh grade students and the PSAT is given to eighth through tenth grade students.

High school juniors, along with the SAT and essay, take the science and social studies M-STEP and the ACT WorkKeys.

These state assessments provide districts with valuable data and information on the progress of their students.

LOCS received their standardized testing results in August of this year.

In Oakland County LOCS’s third through seventh grade students combined were 6th overall in mathematics, 2nd overall in English and 7th overall in social studies.

Eighth through eleventh grade students were 8th overall in Oakland County in both mathematics and English.

LOCS eleventh graders alone ranked 10th in the county in mathematics and 9th in English.

LOCS has consistently received high standardized testing scores, something Heidi Mercer, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning and Kerri Anderson, Director of Curriculum credit to their strong programming.

LOCS sustains a strong professional development program for its teachers as well as its support staff, said Mercer. The solid support system the district has in place allows them to closely monitor student progress in order to give extra help to students who may need it.

Additionally, the district’s tier one instruction lays a strong foundation for the students to build and grow on, said Anderson.

Lake Orion, much like years in past, scored significantly higher than the Oakland County and State averages.

Lake Orion may not receive as much state funding and may not be the wealthiest district but they’re able to hang in with the best of them.

“Compared to high (earning) districts, our scores are right up there with them, if not better,” said Anderson.

To view the M-STEP results presentation documents visit www.lakeorionschools.org/teaching-and-learning/state-assessments.