Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments

Minnesota's rules for testing and the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act require that mathematics and reading tests be given in Grades 3-8.  These tests are given every year to measure student performance on the Minnesota Academic Standards, which define what our students should know and do in a particular grade. 2008 will be the first year the Science MCA-II test is administered. It will be given to all students in Grade 5 in our school on May 19 – 23.  Elementary students will take the MATH test on April 16-17 and the READING test on April 21-22.

It is important that your child attends school on each of these dates and takes these tests. Please do not schedule other appointments during the school day for your child on these dates. Students who miss taking the tests on these dates will be required to take the make-up tests. Students cannot improve their score by cramming for this test, but you can help them by seeing that they have a good night's sleep and a nutritious breakfast on the morning of each the tests.

For more information on the MCA-II's, go to the MN Department of Education's website, click here.

NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

Each spring students in District 279 are given achievement tests in Reading and Math to measure their progress throughout the school year. This year there are two significant differences in how our achievement tests will be administered. First, MAP will be taken online using our school computer labs. This is an excellent tool for our teachers, because the results are immediate. Second, the tests will be administered during a “testing window.” The district testing window is April 28th – May 23rd . A testing window is a period of time that tests may be taken. What this means for your student is that each classroom will have their own unique testing day and time.

MAP testing dates and times will be sent home in mid-April.