ESCANABA — Once a year, students at schools across the state of Michigan take the same standardized tests and are scored based on their performance.

The Michigan Department of Education released results of the 2023-24 academic year (taken in 2024) Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), and the results show that third through seventh grade students attending Holy Name Catholic School (HNCS), one of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Marquette, exceeded Michigan public school students’ scores in all subjects tested.

In Michigan, third through seventh graders take the M-STEP tests in English language arts (broken down into several categories, including overall, writing, and reading) and math (broken down into categories, including math overall and math problem solving). Fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders in Michigan are tested in science and social studies.

At HNCS, in English language arts — writing, 93 percent of students scored proficient or higher. In the English language arts — overall portion, 64 percent of HNCS students scored proficient or higher.

By comparison, 41 percent of Michigan public school students scored proficient or higher in the English language arts — overall portion of the M-STEP.

In math — problem solving, 95 percent of third through seventh graders at Holy Name scored proficient or higher. In math — overall, 59 percent of HNCS third through seventh graders scored proficient or higher. By comparison, 36 percent of Michigan public school third through seventh grade students scored proficient or higher in the math — overall portion of the test.

HNCS students in the fifth and eighth grade again scored well in science and social studies when compared to Michigan Public School students.

In physical science, 97 percent of HNCS fifth and eighth graders tested scored proficient or above. In the science — overall M-STEP, 69 percent of HNCS fifth and eighth graders scored proficient or above, whereas 40 percent of Michigan Public School students scored proficient or above in the science — overall M-STEP.

In social studies, 53 percent of HNCS fifth and eighth graders scored proficient or above, compared to 24 percent of Michigan Public School fifth and eighth graders scoring proficient or above.

Holy Name Principal Nathan Vande Hey says he is pleased with his students’ M-STEP scores, adding that there is room for improvement.

“Our students’ M-STEP scores really showcase the quality of the education available at Holy Name Catholic School. Our teachers do a tremendous job educating our students, while also providing an environment rich in our Catholic traditions and teachings,” Vande Hey said. “Our mission is to help our students grow in discipleship. Holy Name uses time-tested classical learning to help form the whole person. That includes all facets of their formation: faith, intellectual, social, moral, and physical growth. These test scores are one way we demonstrate the excellence of our programs. The M-STEP provides us with good data as a starting point. We see an opportunity for growth in math as well as some areas of reading. The teachers have been receiving training to help our students reach their fullest potential.”

For more information on the M-STEP test results, visit: www.mischooldata.org/grades-3-8-state-testing-includes-psat-data-proficiency/

For more information about Holy Name Catholic School, located at 409 So. 22nd Street, call (906) 786-7550, or to inquire about Holy Name High School — A Chesterton Academy, located at 2203 7th Ave. South, call (906) 398-1155, visit holynamecrusaders.com or search ‘Holy Name Catholic School Escanaba’ on Facebook.