Educator Edition: Sept. 2, 2025

Minnesota Department of Education sent this bulletin at 09/02/2025 12:00 PM CDT

An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment

Vol. 4, No. 1: Sept. 2, 2025

Updates From MDE
Upcoming Opportunities

Updates From MDE

STAY COOL MN Campaign

The Minnesota Department of Health launched the STAY COOL MN Campaign to educate all Minnesotans about the often-underestimated dangers of heat exposure. While the message is simple, it has the power to save lives and lessen the impact of extreme heat on affected people and communities. Visit the Extreme Heat webpage on the Minnesota Department of Health website to learn more and access tips on staying safe in the heat and identifying signs of heat-related illnesses.

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Physical Education Standards, Assessments, and Graduation Requirements

The 2018 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Physical Education Standards are the required standards in physical education since the 2023-24 school year. All students in grades K-8 must receive instruction in physical education every year. High school students must receive instruction in physical education at least once. The amount of credit and graduation requirement is determined at the local level and should be sufficient to satisfy the state standards in physical education. Note that participation in programs such as a sports team or Junior Reserve Officers’ Training (JrOTC) does not satisfy the physical education standards requirements at any grade.

Standards Implementation Videos

Multiple physical education standards implementation videos are available on the MNSHAPE website. The videos walk through the standard revision process and various other pertinent topics.

Legislative Updates Document

The 2024 Legislative Impacts on Minnesota Physical Education document was updated in May of this year to explain Minnesota’s required Academic Standards in Physical Education.

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Resources Supporting Science MCA and Alt MCA Results Release

Student results from the new Science Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) and Science Alternate MCA (Alt MCA) will be released later this fall. First administered last spring, these assessments were developed to align with the 2019 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Science, which districts and charter schools have now fully implemented. As you review results, keep in mind that each district’s academic standards transition may affect Science MCA-IV/Alt MCA scores during the first few years of administration.

These assessments and the standards they measure are substantially different than the previous MCA-III and Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) assessments, so results cannot be compared across the series. Fully implementing new standards and assessments takes time, and it may be several years before the benefits are seen as educators and students adjust to the shifts in curriculum and instruction.

Given these difference, district leaders, including curriculum directors and district assessment coordinators, should develop a plan to communicate Science MCA-IV and Alt MCA results to their school boards, administrators, staff, families, and the media.

When communicating assessment results with staff and the public, keep these points in mind:

Highlight key messages. Identify main points of your district’s standards implementation process and assessment results. Keep the message simple, especially for sharing with a variety of audiences.
Explain the purpose. Describe the Science MCA-IV and the information it provides. Consider providing additional context using:
- Test specification documents for an overview of test structure and design.
- Released test questions from the Minnesota Questions Tool as examples of how standards are assessed.
- Performance Level Descriptors to explain the knowledge and skills students demonstrate at each level.
Be proactive. Outline your district’s standards implementation process and explain how results in the first few years may be impacted by the transition.
Show how assessment results are used in the district and schools alongside other assessments and instructional data. Avoid defensive statements or making excuses for results.
Share support plans. Communicate how the district will continue supporting science standards implementation across all grades and content areas. Consider using supports available on the Science Standards Implementation page.

Though science results will be released later this fall, the typical reporting process is still followed. Final student-level and summary assessment results are first available to districts in Assessment Secure Reports, beginning with District and School Student Results (DSR/SSR) files and then Test Results Summary reports. These results are embargoed, meaning districts and schools can review and use the results for planning and messaging but cannot share or discuss them publicly. Once MDE lifts the embargo, final assessment results are published publicly on the Minnesota Report Card and the Data Reports and Analytics page of the MDE website, and Individual Student Reports (ISRs) are provided to districts for distribution to families.

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The Minnesota Questions Tool – Reading MCA-IV

The Minnesota Questions Tool (MQT) provides access to released questions from past MCAs and MTAS/Alt MCAs for reading, mathematics, and science. This tool is intended to support educators in understanding how the academic standards are assessed on the MCAs and MTAS/Alt MCAs, identifying student misconceptions, and show student learning at varied Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels. Released questions are aligned to benchmarks in the relevant Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, or Science.

Test Series	Standards Alignment
Science MCA-IV and Alt MCA	2019 Minnesota Academic Standards in Science
Reading MCA-IV and Alt MCA	2020 Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts
Mathematics MCA-III and MTAS	2007 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Mathematics
Mathematics Alt MCA	2022 Minnesota Academic Standards in Mathematics

Note: The Reading MCA questions in the MQT have been aligned to the 2020 Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts, which will be assessed on the MCA-IV. All math questions in the MQT are aligned to standards assessed on the MCA-III. They can be found under “Test Type: MCA.” As MDE releases questions aligned to the Mathematics MCA-IV, those questions will be found under “Test Type: MCA-IV.”

If you have questions about the MQT, contact mde.testing@state.mn.us.

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Upcoming Opportunities

Join MDE content specialists to discuss a variety of topics and ask questions related to specific subject areas. For a full calendar of events please refer to the Academic Standards and Assessment Information Packet (2025-26).

Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect Series

What: Join MDE Alternate Assessment Specialists via Zoom to review an example of the new Science Alt MCA Individual Student Reports (ISRs), learn about the information included on the report, and discuss Science Alt MCA 2025 test administration feedback. This is an opportunity to give feedback, ask questions, and connect with other Special Education staff from across the state. If you have questions, contact Alt.Assessment.MDE@state.mn.us.

Who: MTAS/Alternate MCA Test Administrators and Special Education staff

When: Oct. 8, 4-5 p.m. Series will continue monthly, meeting the second Wednesday of each month. The Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect dates for this year are Oct. 8, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 14, Feb. 11, March 11, April 8, and May 13 at 4 p.m. Register once for the entire series of monthly meetings.

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Reading Alternate MCA Kickoff Meetings

What: MDE will host regional in-person and online Reading Alternate Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (Alt MCA) Kickoff Meetings. Educators will receive continuing education units. In-person sessions will include interactive activities to engage with the Alt MCA materials.

Who: MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrators, District Assessment Coordinators, Special Education Directors/Coordinators, and any district staff involved in administering alternate assessments are also welcome to attend; however the focus will be on the one-on-one administration activities.

When/Where: Registration is required.

Oct. 2, 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m. Minnesota Department of Education, NE 400 Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis.
Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m. Beltrami Electric Community Room, 4111 Technology Dr. NW, Bemidji.
Oct. 21, 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m. South Central Service Cooperative Conference Center, Pine Room, 2075 Lookout Dr., North Mankato.
Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-noon (Virtual)
Oct. 23, 3-5:30 p.m. (Virtual). Note: a recording will be available at a later date.

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Curriculum Leader Meetings

What: Receive updates from MDE related to legislation, implementation, and timelines pertaining to Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards.

Who: District/school leaders

When: Oct. 14, 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. (Virtual)

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Arts

To join the Arts Curriculum Leaders contact list and receive future arts-related updates and meeting invitations, email Arts Specialist Alina Campana at alina.campana@state.mn.us.

Arts Standards and Requirements Introduction

What: This session will provide an overview of arts education requirements in Minnesota plus an introduction to the big ideas of the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts. This session is recommended for anyone new to the role of supporting curriculum and instruction in the arts in their district.

Who: District-level curriculum and instructional leaders in the arts. This can include teachers in leadership roles who support the arts for the district or school.

When: Sept. 17, 9-10 a.m. (Virtual)

Arts Education Office Hours

What: Join MDE’s Arts Specialist for informal drop-in sessions to ask questions about state arts standards and arts education requirements.

Who: District-level curriculum and instructional leaders in the arts. This can include teachers in leadership roles who support the arts for the district or school.

When: Every third Tuesday of the month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (Virtual)

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Gifted and Talented

New Coordinator Training: Gifted Education Virtual Boot Camp

What: MDE, in partnership with the Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented and Minnesota Educators of the Gifted, is offering a free virtual training series for new gifted education coordinators. This interactive series will provide tools, strategies, and support to help coordinators effectively serve advanced learners.

Who: Gifted education coordinators in their first three years of service

When: 9-11 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month from September 2025 through April 2026 (Virtual)

Beyond Bright: Social & Emotional Learning for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Learners

What: This three-part virtual series explores how Social and Emotional Learning can support gifted and twice-exceptional learners, including those with ADHD, high creativity, anxiety, and identities from traditionally underrepresented groups. This series is a collaboration between MDE and the Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented.

Who: Educators, counselors, administrators, gifted education specialists, and coordinators.

When: Noon-2 p.m. on the following dates, with featured speakers:

Oct. 29: Dr. C. Matthew Fugate, Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education
Dec. 6: Dr. Debra Troxclair, Lamar University
Feb. 14: TBD

Gifted Education Office Hours

What: Join MDE’s Gifted Education specialist for informal drop-in sessions to quickly visit and ask question related to Gifted Education.

When: The second Wednesday of the month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. during the school year. (Virtual)

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Physical Education

Developmental Adaptive Physical Education Conference

When/where: Sept. 25-26, Camp Friendship, Annandale

Minnesota Society of Health and Physical Educators Conference

When/where: Nov. 2-3, Lakeville South High School, Lakeville

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Social Studies

Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom

What: Navigating the U.S. History Eras: Content, Pedagogy, and Inquiry in the Classroom, presented by MDE and the Minnesota Humanities Center, is a yearlong professional learning opportunity supporting implementation of Minnesota’s 2021 K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies.

Who: K-12 educators

When: Wednesday/Thursday of the last full week of the month from 4-5:30 p.m.

The Building Block of Inquiry in Social Studies: Questions, Tasks, Sources

What: Build on work from the 2024-25 sessions by reviewing the foundational elements of inquiry-based learning in social studies. This virtual session will review crafting compelling questions, designing meaningful tasks, and selecting disciplinary sources to support student inquiry.

Who: Anyone with building or district-level responsibilities for curriculum planning and development in all social studies content areas, including curriculum directors, department leads, and teachers.

When: Sept. 24 from 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Building Questioning across the Social Studies Disciplines

What: Develop strategies for fostering strong questioning skills across the five strands of social studies. Examine discipline-specific questions and how it supports deeper inquiry and critical thinking.

When: Oct. 22, 7:30-8:30 a.m. (Virtual) and Oct. 23, 9-11 a.m. (In-person at MDE)

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English Language Arts

Standards and Implementation Overview and Transitioning to the Reading MCA-IV

When: Sept. 11, 8-9:30 a.m. (Virtual)

ELA Office Hours

When: Sept. 4 and Oct. 2, 3-4 p.m. (Virtual)

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Science

National Science Teaching Association Conference in Minneapolis

What: National Science Teaching Association Conference (NSTA) brings together Science and STEM educators from across the nation and hosts presentations and workshops focused on science teaching and learning. The Minnesota Science Teachers Association will have a “Minnesota Pathway” of presentations specifically focused on topics relevant to Minnesota educators. Visit the NSTA website for more information.

Who: Science and STEM educators

When: Nov. 12-15

Upcoming Science Support Meetings

What: Fall Science Leaders Meeting

When: Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-noon (Virtual)

Science Standards and Assessment Office Hours

When: Sept. 30, 4-5 p.m. and Oct. 28, 4-5 p.m. (Virtual)

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Math

Math Standards & MCA Office Hours

When: Sept. 3, 4-5 p.m. (Virtual)

Math Leaders Group

Join the Minnesota Math Leaders Group to register for the following sessions:

Quick Leader/Admin Meeting: Sept. 11 and Oct. 9, 7-7:45 a.m.
Math Coach/Specialist PLC: Sept. 16 and Oct. 21, 12:30-2 p.m.
Math Teacher Leader PLC: Sept. 18 and Oct. 16, 4-5:30 p.m.

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Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment

Minnesota Department of Education

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