Student Assessments

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments—Series II (MCA-IIs) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind. Reading and mathematics are used to determine whether schools and districts have made adequate yearly progress toward all students being proficient in 2014.

Reading and mathematics tests are given in grades 3-8, 10 and 11. In the spring of 2008 science tests will also be given in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, depending on when students complete their life sciences curriculum.

Science MCA-II: first results released August 19, 2008
This spring, a total of 184,570 students in grades 5, 8 and high school took the Science MCA-II measuring student performance on Minnesota's Academic Standards. Currently, results from the science assessment do not impact Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

2008 Minnesota assessment results, release process
Embargoed MCA II test results were to be available to districts as of Thursday, June 26, 2008, but the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) had significant server/tech issues and as such many districts were not able to download their information until late Thursday night and only summary data at that. Media that have signed an agreement with MDE received embargoed data along with a news release and PowerPoint of statewide results late on the 26th. Note that the PowerPoint is available on MDE's Educator Portal. (Your district assessment person should be able to download it).

The embargo is to be lifted at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 30. Expect district and school results to be in the papers Monday morning. Again, all information is EMBARGOED and cannot be released to the public before Monday. On Monday, June 30, MESPA sent out a brief set of talking points from the Minnesota Department of Education; for a copy, click on the link above.

In addition, the original MDE release schedule called for preliminary district Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data to be available on Monday, June 30. Given the current tech issues at MDE, we are not sure if that will happen, but it should be available sometime next week via the Educator Portal on MDE's web site. Districts then have 30 days analyze the data and file appeals/waivers if applicable. Public release of AYP results is still slated for August 5.

Communication tools

Individual Student Reports

Pearson Perspective
Teacher and parent tool to help increase student achievement, based on individual Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) test results.

Study Island Assessment Preparation Tools

Study Island (a MESPA business partner) is a leading provider of web-based state assessment preparation programs and standards based learning programs. Study Island is used by over six million students in over 15,000 schools.

Mission: The Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association is dedicated to promoting and improving education for children and youth, strengthening the role as educational leader for elementary and middle level principals, and collaborating with partners in education to assist in achieving these goals.

Leading schools toward excellence through the MESPA vision to be the premiere resource for preparing today's principals for tomorrow and a strong leading voice for public education.

Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association

1667 North Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108

651.999.7310 MN toll free 800.642.6807

Fax: 651.999.7311 E-mail: mespa@mespa.net