Common Minnesota Standardized Assessments

AN EXPLANATION OF ASSESSMENTS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (ESEA) AND BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA

Minnesota Standardized Assessments are Organized in Three Primary Categories

Title 1 Assessments: Minnesota MCA’s and MCA-Modified, and MTA’s, Which Meet Federal Requirements of No Child Left Behind, Which Measure Progress Towards Meeting Academic Standards in Reading, Mathematics, and Science

Diploma or GRAD Assessments: Minnesota Assessments Which Measure Proficiency for graduation in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

English Language Proficiency Assessments: ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs Which Measure Progress for English Language Learners

Title 1 Assessments: Three Content Areas – Reading, Mathematics, and

ScienceReading MCA

Grades 3-8 and Grade 10Administered in April of Each YearDistricts Choose Paper or Online Versions

Title 1 Assessments: Three Content Areas – Reading, Mathematics, and Science

Mathematics MCAGrades 3-8, Grade 10, and Grade 11Administered in April of Each YearDistricts Choose Paper or Online Versions for

Grades 3-8 and 10Grade 11 Assessment is a Paper Version

Title 1 Assessments: Three Content Areas – Reading, Mathematics, and Science

Science MCAGrades 5, 8, and One Grade in High School (Depends on Local Sequence)

Administered in AprilOnline Version Only

Title 1 Alternative Assessments

MCA-Modified AssessmentsAvailable Only to Certain Special Education Students IEP (Individualized Education Plan) Team Determines

Eligibility Reading and Mathematics OnlyReading is Available Grades 5-8 and Grade 10Mathematics is Available Grades 5-8, and Grades 10, 11MCA-Modified Reading and Mathematics are all Online

Versions except MCA-Modified Mathematics Grade 11, Which is a Paper Version

Title 1 Alternative Assessments

Minnesota Test of Academic SkillsMinnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) Are

Available for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Students Must Meet MDE’s “Alternate Assessment Eligibility Requirements”

Offered in Reading, Mathematics, and ScienceReading is Offered in Grades 3-8, and 10Mathematics is Offered in Grades 3-8, and 11Science is Offered in Grades 5, 8, and High School

Minnesota Diploma or GRAD Assessments

Students Entering 8th Grade in 2005-2006 or Later Must Pass the GRAD Test in Order to Receive a Minnesota Diploma

GRAD Tests are Given in Reading, Mathematics, and Writing

Students May Re-Test on GRAD Tests if They Do Not Pass

Re-Tests in Reading and Mathematics are Online Only

Minnesota Diploma or GRAD Assessments

Written Composition GRAD Test: First Opportunity is in 9th Grade

Reading GRAD Test: First Opportunity is in 10th Grade by Passing the Title 1 (MCA) Reading Test

Mathematics GRAD Test: First Opportunity is in 11th Grade by Passing the GRAD Portion of the Title 1 (MCA) Mathematics Test

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs Assessments

ACCESS for ELLs is an English Language Proficiency Assessment

For Students Learning the English LanguageGiven in Kindergarten Through 12th GradeMonitors Progress in Acquiring Academic EnglishMeets No Child Left Behind RequirementsUsed by Schools and Staff in Determining Student

Progress as Well as Curriculum

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs

Assessments

Measures Five StandardsSocial and Instructional LanguageLanguage of Language ArtsLanguage of MathematicsLanguage of ScienceLanguage of Social Studies

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs

Assessments

Tests Are Divided Into Five Grade ClustersKindergartenGrades 1 and 2Grades 3 through 5Grades 6 through 8Grades 9 through 12

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs

Assessments

Grade Levels Are Clustered by Degree of Advancement

Tier A: BeginningTier B: IntermediateTier C: Advanced

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs and Alternative ACCESS for ELLs

Assessments

Minnesota ACCESS for ELLs is Targeted Towards Regular Education Students

Minnesota Alternative ACCESS for ELLs is Targeted Towards Special Education Students