Assessments

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and alternate assessment, Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS), are the statewide tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Students take one test in each subject. Most students take the MCA, but students who receive special education services and meet eligibility criteria may take the MTAS.

Note: 2013–2014 was the last administration year of the MCA-Modified assessments. As a result of U.S. Department of Education regulations that require states to discontinue alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards, MCA-Modified will no longer be offered in spring of 2015 or thereafter.


English Language Proficiency Assessments
The ACCESS for ELLs and Alternate ACCESS for ELLs are the assessments developed by the WIDA consortium and administered to English learners in order to measure progress toward meeting Minnesota’s standards for English language development, developed by the WIDA consortium. Most English learners will take the ACCESS for ELLs, but English learners who received special education services and meet the participation guidelines may take the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs. A link to the WIDA Consortium website is provided under related resources. 



Career and College Assessments – For students in grade 8 in 2012-2013 and later
A series of career and college assessments are being administered beginning in 2014-15:

Standards-based Accountability Assessments

• ACT’s Explore is a required graduation assessment to provide information to grade 8 students, their parents, and educators about students’ achievement in Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science.  The assessment includes a career interest survey.
• ACT’s Plan is a required graduation assessment to provide information to grade 10 students, their parents, and educators about students’ achievement in Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science.  The assessment includes a career interest survey.
• ACT’s Compass is a graduation assessment provided to some students who, based on performance in grade 10, are not prepared for post-secondary success.
• ACT Plus Writing is a required graduation assessment to provide information to grade 11 students, their parents, and educators regarding the level of preparedness for post-secondary success on a nationally recognized college entrance exam.

 

Graduation Assessments
In order to be eligible for a diploma from a Minnesota public high school, all students must fulfill graduation assessment requirements in writing, reading, and mathematics. Based on the revisions to Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.30, the graduation assessment requirements have changed.

There are different routes to meeting graduation assessment requirements, depending on what year students were first enrolled in grade 8.

• Meet or have met graduation assessment requirements through Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (GRAD) in writing, reading, and mathematics by: achieving proficiency on high school standards-based accountability assessments; passing GRAD retests (Minnesota Alternate Assessment: Writing can still be administered to students who need an alternate assessment to meet the requirements for writing); and/or meeting GRAD alternate routes [GRAD alternate routes for this group of students refers to mathematics alternate pathway, individual passing score, ELL exemption, and pass other state (reciprocity)].

• Take or have taken ACT/ WorkKeys/Compass/Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to meet requirements in writing, reading, and/or mathematics.

• Have or receive score on equivalent assessment (district determined) to meet requirements in writing, reading, and/or mathematics.

 
Grade 12 student in School Year 2014–2015 (first enrolled in grade 8 in 2010–2011)

• Meet or have met graduation assessment requirements through GRAD in writing, reading, and mathematics by: achieving proficiency on high school standards-based accountability assessments; passing GRAD retests (Minnesota Alternate Assessment: Writing can still be administered to students who need an alternate assessment to meet the requirements for writing); and/or meeting GRAD alternate routes [GRAD alternate routes for this group of students refers to, individual passing score, ELL exemption, and pass other state (reciprocity)].

• Take or have taken ACT/WorkKeys/Compass/Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to meet requirements in writing, reading, and/or mathematics.

• Have or receive a score on equivalent assessment (district determined) to meet requirements in writing, reading, and/or mathematics.

Grade 11 Student in School Year 2014–2015 (first enrolled in grade 8 in 2011–2012)

• Take grade 11 ACT Plus Writing (College Entrance Exam) during statewide administration in 2014–2015.

• If student is unable to take Grade 11 ACT plus Writing:

• Take Grade 8 ACT Explore (Career and College Assessment), when available (Grade 8 ACT Explore was not available statewide in 2013–2014)

• Take Grade 10 ACT Plan (Career and College Assessment)

• And POSSIBLY Take ACT Compass (College Placement Diagnostic Assessment)

• Take Grade 11 ACT Plus Writing statewide administration (College Entrance Exam).

• MTAS (for grades above)