<p>DEARBORN Students have a long way to climb to get from the current MEAP tests to new Common Core tests that will begin next school year, educators told the school board Monday.</p><p>Dana Addis used the popular Mario video game character as a comparison. The change will take at least two giant Mario leaps, she said. Dearborn has started working on the first jump by having students get used to taking tests on a computer and by changing the nature of the tests, she said. For example, students now might need to select more than one correct answer.</p><p>Michigan is one of 45 states that have adopted the Common Core standards and is among 25 in the Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium, developing the new tests related to the Common Core, said Mary Pizzimenti.</p><p>Common Core will include a number of changes for students and teachers including a stronger focus on non-fiction reading both for information and for students to gain background knowledge, Pizzimenti said. Students are also expected to develop a stronger academic vocabulary and a deeper understanding of math with a stronger emphasis on real life applications, she said.</p><p><a href="http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2013/01/15/news/doc50f5d38b64c75897234238.txt">Keep reading...</a></p>