|
An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Sept. 3, 2025
Important Dates
Sept. 3: Benchmark Reports available in PearsonAccess Next
Sept. 5: Deadline to submit reimbursement requests in GRR
Quick Links
As communicated to District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) on Friday, Aug. 29, duplicate sets of Reading and Mathematics MCA/MTAS Individual Student Reports (ISRs) were delivered to some districts on Thursday, Aug. 28 and Friday, Aug. 29.
All reports must be stored in a secure location until distributed since they contain private student data. If the district or school is not retaining the duplicate copy (for example, to keep on file), it must be securely disposed of or returned to Pearson. We apologize for the inconvenience.
For additional questions, please contact the Pearson help desk at 888-817-8659 or submit a help desk request online to facilitate the return of the duplicate reports.
Back to top
The Reading/Mathematics MCA Individual Student Reports (ISRs) – Separated by Students zipped file has been delayed in posting to Published Reports in PearsonAccess Next. This published report is a zipped file of ISRs with final assessment results separated by student and posted at the district and school levels. Pearson anticipates the report to be posted to PearsonAccess Next later this week and will communicate their availability to District Assessment Coordinators. Note: The Reading/Mathematics MTAS files were delayed but have been posted to PearsonAccess Next as of Sept. 2. Pearson apologizes for any confusion and inconvenience this error caused.
For additional questions, please contact the Pearson help desk at 888-817-8659 or submit a help desk request online.
Back to top
As shared in the Sept. 2 WIDA Monday Mail, the WIDA Client Services Center has a new email address: help@wida.wisc.edu. Please update your contacts and let your colleagues know.
Back to top
Districts must enter requests for reimbursements for college entrance exams (ACT or SAT) in the Graduation Requirements Records (GRR) system for eligible students no later than this Friday, Sept. 5. Reimbursements will be sent by the end of September.
After submitting reimbursement requests, the next step is to confirm expected records using the reimbursement reports, which are refreshed each morning. The Claimed Student Detail Report shows the records that will be reimbursed and provides the reason for any record that will not be reimbursed. The Estimated Student Amount Report gives an estimate of the total reimbursement amount.
More information is in the Graduation Requirements Records (GRR) User Guide and in the recorded GRR training posted to the Learning Management System (LMS).
Back to top
If your district is not included in the drop-down menu of the Student Assessment History Report, it means enrollment data has not yet been submitted by your district for the 2025-26 school year. District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) must work with their District MARSS Coordinator to determine when enrollment data will be submitted.
Back to top
The 2024-25 Reading and Mathematics MCA Benchmark Reports are available today, Sept. 3, in PearsonAccess Next under Reports > Published Reports for DAC and Assessment Administrator (AA) user roles (login required). Refer to last week’s Assessment Update for more information and resources.
Back to top
Please review this information provided by the MDE Literacy Unit, which mirrors the information sent to District Assessment Coordinators on Aug. 26. Questions about READ Act screening requirements can be addressed to the Local Literacy Plan (local.literacy.plan.mde@state.mn.us).
Grades K-3
The Minnesota READ Act (Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.12, subdivision 2) requires districts and charter schools to universally screen students in grades K-3 for foundational reading skills and characteristics of dyslexia with an MDE approves screening tool. The required subtests for grades K-3 for school year 2025-26 can be found on The READ Act: K-3 Universal Literacy and Dyslexia Screening Guidance webpage. The required subtests remain the same with the exception of the Nonsense Word subtest in Grades 2 and 3, which is now required in all three screening windows through either the gated or integrated administration options.
Grades 4-12
In addition to the requirements to conduct universal literacy and dyslexia screening in grades K-3, the Minnesota READ Act requires districts and charter schools to screen students in grades 4-12 who are not reading at grade level. These students must be screened using a screening tool approved by MDE. This requirement includes multilingual learners and students receiving special education. Students not reading at grade level must continue to receive evidence-based instruction, interventions and progress monitoring until the students achieve grade-level proficiency.
Screening grades 4-12 students who are not reading at grade level is a two-step process:
Step 1: Determine who is not reading at grade level in a locally determined manner using a valid and reliable, standardized tool (such as DIBELS, FastBridge, or the open access tool ROAR from Stanford University; refer to the MDE screening webpage for more details).
Step 2: Students identified as not reading at grade level in Step 1 are administered the MDE approved 4-12 dyslexia screener.
The MDE approved screening tool for Grades 4-12 is Capti ReadBasix. The use of this MDE approved screening tool for students in grades 4-12 who are not reading at grade level is required in the 2025-26 school year (refer to the MDE screening guidance 4-12 webpage for more details).
Rostering Requirements
Minnesota READ Act requires that district Local Literacy Plan submissions include student data for students in K-3, students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia, and students in grades 4-12 who are identified as not reading at grade level.
Due to significant issues with the K-3 data received for the 2024-25 school year, MDE is requiring the following information be included in the READ Act data submitted to MDE with the 2025-26 Local Literacy Plan. All the following data is required regardless of if the vendor or the district submit the required data to MDE.
Required Rostering of District and School Information
- Complete district name, as it appears in the MDE Organization Reference Glossary (MDE-ORG)
- For example, Gopherville Public School District
- 4-digit district number (missing leading zeros is acceptable)
- Complete name for all schools, as they appear in MDE-ORG
- For example, Goldie Elementary
- 3-digit school number for all schools (missing leading zeros is acceptable)
District and school names should NOT use abbreviations or acronyms unless this is how the names are listed in MDE-ORG. This information can be verified on the MDE-ORG website.
If there is not a location in the screener account settings for a separate district or school number, as is the case for FastBridge, this data must be entered into the name fields in the following format:
- District Name Field: Complete District Name - XXXX (For example, Gopherville Public School District – 0111)
- School Name Field: Complete School Name - XXX (For example, Goldie Elementary – 010)
Required Rostering of Student Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
- 13-digit State Student ID (SSID) or MARSS number for each student screened (missing leading zeros is acceptable)
- Full First Name
- Full Last Name
- Gender
- Birthdate (DOB)
MDE uses these five data points to validate students’ information to ensure data is linked to the correct student.
Back to top
Reading Alternate MCA Kickoff Meetings
This fall, MDE will be hosting regional in-person and online Reading Alternate Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (Alt MCA) Kickoff Meetings. Kickoff meeting topics will include:
These kickoff meetings will focus on one-on-one administration activities and are geared for MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrators. However, District Assessment Coordinators (DACs), Special Education Directors/Coordinators, and any district staff involved in administering alternate assessments are also welcome to attend. Morning and afternoon sessions will be offered at each in-person location and will cover the same topics. There is no cost to attendees for these sessions, and educators will be provided continuing education units.
In-Person Sessions
|
Location
|
|
Thursday, Oct. 2
9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m.
|
Lower level
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)
400 Stinson Blvd. NE, Minneapolis, MN
Register for one session.
|
|
Thursday, Oct. 9
9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m.
|
Beltrami Electric Cooperative Community Room
4111 Technology Dr. NW, Bemidji, MN
Register for the morning session.
Register for the afternoon session.
|
|
Tuesday, Oct. 21
9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m.
|
South Central Service Cooperative Conference Center
Pine Room, 2075 Lookout Dr., North Mankato, MN
Register for one session.
|
Virtual Sessions
|
Location
|
|
Tuesday, Oct. 14
9 a.m.-noon
|
Zoom (a recording will be available at a later date)
Register for the session.
|
|
Thursday, Oct. 23
3-5:30 p.m.
|
Zoom (a recording will be available at a later date)
Register for the session.
|
Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect Series
The Academic Standards, Instruction, and Assessment Division will host a series of virtual Chat and Connect sessions for MTAS/Alt MCA test administrators and special education staff. This will be an informal time for you to ask any questions around alternate assessment, share your feedback, and connect with other special education staff from across the state.
Join us via Zoom for the first session of the year on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 4-5 p.m. Please register for the Alt Assessment Chat and Connect. In October, participants will 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 administration feedback.
We will be meeting the second Wednesday of each month during the school year. You only need to register once to join any of the monthly Chat and Connects that work for you. 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. For more information, contact ALT.Assessment.MDE@state.mn.us.
Back to top
Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
Statewide Testing| Unsubscribe
|
