MDE Academic Assessments 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Minnesota statewide assessment is specifically designed to measure English Language Arts and mathematics proficiency for students in grades 3–8 and 10?
- MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) (Correct answer)
- MTAS (Minnesota Test of Academic Skills)
- NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
- ACT
Correct answer: MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments)
The MCA is Minnesota's primary statewide assessment measuring ELA and math proficiency in grades 3–8 and grade 10.
Question 2: The Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) is an alternate assessment designed for which student population?
- English Language Learners who are new to the US
- Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (Correct answer)
- Students who are chronically absent
- Gifted and talented students seeking advanced credit
Correct answer: Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities
The MTAS is an alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the standard MCA.
Question 3: Under Minnesota law, in which grade do students first take the MCA Science assessment?
- Grade 4
- Grade 5 (Correct answer)
- Grade 6
- Grade 7
Correct answer: Grade 5
MCA Science testing in Minnesota begins in grade 5, with additional administrations in grades 8 and high school.
Question 4: Which federal law primarily drives Minnesota's requirement to administer annual statewide academic assessments to students in grades 3–8 and once in high school?
- No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (Correct answer)
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Carl D. Perkins Act
Correct answer: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
ESSA, which replaced NCLB in 2015, requires states to administer annual assessments in ELA and math for grades 3–8 and once in high school.
Question 5: What does the ACCESS for ELLs assessment primarily measure in Minnesota schools?
- Academic content proficiency in math and reading
- English language proficiency across listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Correct answer)
- Special education eligibility criteria
- College readiness benchmarks for seniors
Correct answer: English language proficiency across listening, speaking, reading, and writing
ACCESS for ELLs measures English language proficiency in four domains—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—for English Language Learners.
Question 6: In Minnesota's accountability system, which term describes a school that consistently fails to meet annual academic performance targets over multiple years?
- Priority school
- Focus school
- Reward school
- Comprehensive support school (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Comprehensive support school
Under ESSA, schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement are those with the lowest performance or lowest graduation rates.
Question 7: A Minnesota district wants to determine whether a student who recently arrived from another country qualifies as an English Language Learner. Which assessment is most commonly used for this initial identification?
- MCA-III Reading
- W-APT or WIDA Screener (Correct answer)
- MTAS
- ACT Aspire
Correct answer: W-APT or WIDA Screener
The W-APT or WIDA Screener is used to identify and initially place potential English Language Learners before they begin instruction.
MDE Academic Assessments 2
Which Minnesota statewide assessment is specifically designed to measure English Language Arts and mathematics proficiency for students in grades 3–8 and 10?