Parent & Community Partnerships Flashcards

Minnesota law requires districts to make information about standardized testing available to families. Where must districts publish their testing calendar and related information?

Answer: On the district website

Minnesota Statutes 120B.301 requires districts to post information about required standardized tests, including schedules, on their website.

A parent submits a signed MCA refusal form. For state accountability purposes, how is that student typically counted?

Answer: As a non-participant, which can lower the school's participation rate

Students whose parents refuse testing are counted as not tested, which affects school participation rates in accountability reporting.

Which MCA subject is tested in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school?

Answer: Science

Science MCAs are given in grade 5, grade 8, and once in high school after the student completes life science coursework.

During a parent-teacher conference, a teacher wants to make MCA results meaningful. Which approach is most effective?

Answer: Connecting results to classroom work and agreeing on specific ways to support learning at home

Linking state data to classroom evidence and concrete home strategies makes results actionable for families.

A parent of a student with an IEP asks whether her child will receive supports on the MCA. What is the best answer?

Answer: Eligible accommodations documented in the IEP can be provided on the MCA

Students with IEPs or 504 plans may use allowable accommodations listed in their plans on Minnesota statewide assessments.

Which alternate assessment might the IEP team select instead of the MCA for a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities?

Answer: MTAS (Minnesota Test of Academic Skills)

The MTAS is Minnesota's alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, as determined by the IEP team.

A school newsletter wants to explain MCA results to families. Which wording is most family-friendly?

Answer: "MCA scores show how well your child is meeting Minnesota's grade-level standards in each subject."

Plain-language explanations that connect scores to state standards help families understand results without jargon.