MDE Academic Assessments 3 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of Minnesota's Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS)?
- To schedule standardized test administration dates
- To link education and workforce data to track student outcomes over time (Correct answer)
- To provide real-time classroom assessment scores to teachers
- To manage teacher licensure applications
Correct answer: To link education and workforce data to track student outcomes over time
SLEDS links Kâ12, postsecondary, and workforce data to help policymakers and educators track long-term student outcomes.
Question 2: On Minnesota MCA score reports, what do the four performance levelsâDoes Not Meet, Partially Meets, Meets, and Exceedsâindicate?
- The student's national percentile rank relative to peers
- The degree to which a student has demonstrated proficiency relative to Minnesota's academic standards (Correct answer)
- The number of test questions answered correctly out of the total
- The student's growth compared to their prior year score
Correct answer: The degree to which a student has demonstrated proficiency relative to Minnesota's academic standards
MCA performance levels indicate how well a student has met Minnesota's academic standards, from Does Not Meet through Exceeds.
Question 3: Which MDE program tracks whether students are making sufficient progress toward English proficiency and flags those who are not progressing as expected?
- Title I Schoolwide Program
- English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI) (Correct answer)
- Section 504 Monitoring
- Targeted Services Review
Correct answer: English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI)
The English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI) measures whether EL students are making adequate progress toward English language proficiency.
Question 4: A high school student in Minnesota scores in the 'Meets Standards' range on the MCA Reading. What does this mean for graduation requirements related to assessments?
- The student must retake the test in senior year
- The student has demonstrated proficiency and met that portion of the state's academic standard (Correct answer)
- The student is exempt from all future English coursework
- The student automatically qualifies for college credit
Correct answer: The student has demonstrated proficiency and met that portion of the state's academic standard
Scoring at 'Meets Standards' means the student has demonstrated proficiency on the MCA, satisfying the state academic standard for that subject.
Question 5: What is the NAEP, and how does it differ from Minnesota's MCA?
- NAEP is a Minnesota-only diagnostic tool; MCA is a federal accountability test
- NAEP is a federal assessment providing national comparison data; MCA is Minnesota's own accountability test (Correct answer)
- NAEP tests all students annually; MCA samples only select students
- NAEP and MCA measure identical content using the same scoring scale
Correct answer: NAEP is a federal assessment providing national comparison data; MCA is Minnesota's own accountability test
NAEP is a nationally representative assessment administered by the federal government to allow state-to-state comparisons, while the MCA is Minnesota's annual accountability assessment.
Question 6: Under ESSA, which subgroup performance metric requires Minnesota schools to track assessment participation rates?
- Schools must ensure at least 80% of students in each subgroup participate in state assessments
- Schools must ensure at least 95% of students in each subgroup participate in state assessments (Correct answer)
- Schools must ensure at least 75% of students in each subgroup participate in state assessments
- Schools must ensure at least 90% of students in each subgroup participate in state assessments
Correct answer: Schools must ensure at least 95% of students in each subgroup participate in state assessments
ESSA requires a 95% participation rate for all students and each student subgroup on statewide assessments.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes a 'formative assessment' in the context of Minnesota classroom practice?
- A standardized end-of-year test that contributes to a student's official record
- An ongoing assessment used by teachers during instruction to adjust teaching and support learning (Correct answer)
- A nationally normed assessment used to compare students across states
- An alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities
Correct answer: An ongoing assessment used by teachers during instruction to adjust teaching and support learning
Formative assessments are used during instruction to monitor student learning and guide teaching adjustments before summative evaluation.
MDE Academic Assessments 3
What is the primary purpose of Minnesota's Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS)?