MDE State Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under MDE standards, which mathematics domain is emphasized at the kindergarten level?
- Ratios and Proportional Relationships
- Counting and Cardinality (Correct answer)
- Statistics and Probability
- Functions
Correct answer: Counting and Cardinality
Counting and Cardinality is a primary domain in kindergarten math, focusing on number sense foundations.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a 'benchmark' in Minnesota's academic standards framework?
- A statewide test score cutoff
- A specific, measurable skill or knowledge indicator within a standard (Correct answer)
- A grade-level reading goal
- A teacher evaluation metric
Correct answer: A specific, measurable skill or knowledge indicator within a standard
In Minnesota's standards, benchmarks are the specific, measurable statements that describe what students should know and be able to do within a broader standard.
Question 3: Minnesota's Health and Physical Education standards require students to demonstrate competency in which foundational area by end of grade 2?
- Cardiovascular endurance testing
- Locomotor and non-locomotor movement skills (Correct answer)
- Nutrition label reading
- First aid procedures
Correct answer: Locomotor and non-locomotor movement skills
Early elementary HPE standards focus on fundamental movement skills including locomotor (running, jumping) and non-locomotor (bending, twisting) movements.
Question 4: The Minnesota Academic Standards in Arts Education cover how many distinct art disciplines?
- 2
- 3
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 5
Correct answer: 4
Minnesota's Arts Education standards cover four disciplines: Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts — wait, that's five; the correct answer is 5.
Question 5: Which MDE standard area includes benchmarks related to 'computational thinking' and 'digital citizenship'?
- Mathematics
- English Language Arts
- Computer Science (Correct answer)
- Science
Correct answer: Computer Science
Minnesota's Computer Science standards encompass computational thinking, digital citizenship, data and analysis, networks, and cybersecurity.
Question 6: In Minnesota's literacy standards, 'phonemic awareness' benchmarks are primarily associated with which grade band?
- Grades 3-5
- Grades 6-8
- Kindergarten through Grade 2 (Correct answer)
- Grades 9-12
Correct answer: Kindergarten through Grade 2
Phonemic awareness — the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words — is a foundational literacy skill addressed in K-2 standards.
Question 7: Minnesota's standards revision cycle requires the MDE to review and update academic standards at minimum every how many years?
- 3 years
- 5 years
- 7 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
Correct answer: 7 years
Minnesota statute (Minn. Stat. § 120B.023) requires academic standards to be reviewed and revised at least once every ten years.
MDE State Standards 3
Under MDE standards, which mathematics domain is emphasized at the kindergarten level?