UPDATE: LANSING, MI - The State Board of Education has voted to raise the standards for what's considered a proficient score on the state's standardized tests.

The previous passing scores were set at a very basic level, at only 39 percent, but now Michigan students will need to get around 65 percent of the answers correct in order to pass the state tests. The State Board of Education decided to increase these standards to make sure schools are better preparing their students to be on-track to being career-and college-ready once they have completed their high school education.

"I think this gives us a more realistic idea of what is needed in high school and elementary school, so one can be successful in the next level up in their education," said Michigan Department of Education Director of Assessment and Accountability Joseph Martineau. "It's simply more realistic about what proficiency really means.

The previous cut scores would of been acceptable for Michigan's old manufacturing economy, but not in the advanced information economy of the future.

The new cut scores were put into place on September 13th, 2011 and Michigan is now only the third state in the nation (besides New York and Tennessee) to have implemented this new standard.




ORIGINAL STORY: LANSING, MI - New "Cut Scores" for the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) have been put into place by the State of Michigan.