Michigan Millennials, Do You Remember the MEAP Test?

We're about to dive deep into our collective memory banks here and open up some memories that may be vivid to some or buried deep, deep down within for others who grew up here in Michigan.

We're talking about the MEAP Test *shudders* I'm having flashbacks now.

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What Was The MEAP Test

An acronym for "Michigan Educational Assessment Program", it was a form of statewide standardized testing. According to Washtenaw ISD, started during the 1969-1970 school year and was "as one of the first statewide assessment programs in the US."

Over the years there were various expansions from the original, simple multiple-choice questions, and it morphed into the major undertaking that we all remember that included an essay portion and more.

MEAP Memories

Now, "I was today years old" when I realized that test had been around since the 70's so more generations than just millennials would probably also have memories of it.

However, as a millennial myself, I'm putting this out there to see if anyone shared my experience(s).

For example, this morning as I was driving to work, there was a whole mess of tire tread on the road. That sent me into a very specific, strange flashback of one year, taking the MEAP test and having to do the "reading comprehension" portion and we had to read this dude's essay about the dangers of tire tread on the road.

How I can remember that but not where I put my phone charger is beyond me...but that's besides the point.

Other, oddly specific memories of MEAP days in school I have include: the Goldfish crackers they would hand out as snacks when it was time for a scheduled break and writing my essay portion one year where we had to write about someone we admire.

The first time, I wrote about Steve Irwin, the next time I got that prompt, I wrote about Stacy London...the woman from the TLC show "What Not to Wear"...don't ask.

What is Used Instead Now?

For being such a major part of our developmental years, information about this bad boy was tougher to track down than I anticipated.

However, we've got it.

So, as mentioned earlier, the first MEAP testing was administered in 1970. They then held it every school year across the state until the 2013-2014 school year. That was because, according to the National Council of Teachers of English, the M-Step was taking over as the official statewide standardized test after High Schoolers were taking it instead of the MEAP since the 2006-2007 school year.

Since 2016 Michigan has also changed from high school Juniors taking the ACT to now taking the SAT...but I think just digging into our MEAP memories has been traumatizing enough.