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An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Feb. 11, 2026
Important Dates
December 3-May 7: Complete Pretest Editing in Test WES
January 5-March 20: Complete administration tasks in WIDA AMS
January 26-March 20: WIDA assessment administration window
Feb. 16: Begin MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA administration tasks in PearsonAccess Next
Feb. 24-26: Receive paper MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA test materials
Feb. 24: Additional materials ordering window opens in PearsonAccess Next
Quick Links
The WIDA assessment administration window is open through March 20. Please review the following reminders as testing continues in your district.
Administering the Writing Domain for Grades 4-5
For WIDA ACCESS Online, the default response mode for the Writing domain in grades 4-5 is handwritten responses in a Writing Response Booklet. Test Administrators must provide each student with a test ticket and a Writing Response Booklet, as outlined in the Online Test Administrator Script for Grades 4-12.
Key administration reminders:
- Before testing begins, the Test Administrator must confirm that each student is on the correct page of the Writing Response Booklet before the student selects “Begin the Test.”
- After the practice tasks, confirm that students were able to respond as expected. As needed, instruct students to turn pages so the page titles in the booklet match the titles displayed on the screen.
Districts are responsible for ensuring that students are familiar with the format of the test they will take. Refer to Chapter 7 of the Procedures Manual for recommended preparation materials.
Using the Special Education Deferred Code
English learners (ELs) with disabilities should participate in as many WIDA assessment domains as possible. The decision to apply a Special Education Deferred (SPD) code must be made by an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan team after carefully considering the individual needs of the student.
An SPD code indicates the IEP or 504 plan team has determined it is not possible for the student to participate in a specific domain due to a disability.
Important reminders:
- In most cases, appropriate supports and accommodations allow participation in all domains of the WIDA ACCESS.
- For students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the WIDA Alternate ACCESS may be a more appropriate assessment.
- SPD may not be used to exempt a student from all testing.
If an IEP or 504 plan team determines that SPD is appropriate for more than two domains, contact MDE at mde.testing@state.mn.us for approval. Refer to Chapter 9 of the Procedures Manual for additional guidance.
MDE will calculate an alternate composite score for ELs with disabilities who are unable to participate in one or two domains of a WIDA assessment due to a disability and who meet all of the following criteria:
- The student completed and received valid scores in at least two domains.
- The domain(s) not completed are coded SPD.
Alternate composite scores may provide a pathway to exit for students who complete fewer than four domains of a WIDA assessment. Additional information about exit pathways is available in the Minnesota Standardized English Learner Procedures listed on the English Learner Education page.
Need Help?
For help with WIDA AMS, technology, or test materials, contact the DRC help desk at WIDA@datarecognitioncorp.com or 855-787-9615.
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Initial quantities of paper test materials for MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA are based on information entered in Test WES Pretest Editing by the Jan. 23 deadline. The initial test materials shipment will arrive at the district office or schools between Feb. 24-26. If no changes were indicated in the test materials shipment options in Test WES by Jan. 23, the default option is for test materials to be shipped to the district.
Districts must have staff available to receive the materials. District and School Assessment Coordinators must ensure there is a plan for receiving the shipments and keeping the test materials secure upon delivery following the district’s procedure.
Districts can track the shipment status in PearsonAccess Next 2-3 days prior to the arrival date. For more information, refer to Viewing Test Material Reports and Tracking Information guide posted on the User Guides page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub.
Receiving and Inventorying Test Materials
MCA paper test materials and MTAS/Alt MCA test materials will be boxed separately and have different packing lists and security checklists. Use these lists to inventory all test materials received; electronic copies of each school’s security checklists are also available in PearsonAccess Next. For more information, refer to the Receiving Secure Test Materials guide posted on the User Guides page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. A copy of this guide is also included in the test materials shipment.
Test materials must be kept secure when inventorying and organizing, and all secure test materials must be kept in a secure, locked location until testing. The Handling Secure Paper Test Materials training is an optional training for staff who will handle paper test materials for any statewide assessments, and it provides information about keeping materials secure and maintaining the chain of custody. This training is available in the Learning Management System (LMS) (Test Administration catalog > Optional Courses tag).
Preparing for the MTAS/Alt MCA
To ensure sufficient time to prepare for test administration, District and School Assessment Coordinators should distribute MTAS/Alt MCA test materials to Test Administrators upon delivery. All materials must be kept in a secure location until testing begins. However, once test materials are delivered, Test Administrators may review and prepare all MTAS/Alt MCA materials that may be used during test administration. This includes:
- Reviewing all scripted tasks in the Task Administration Manual, Presentation Pages, Passages, Scenarios, and/or Phenomena Books, and Response Option Cards. The separate Passages, Scenarios, and/or Phenomena Books are spiral-bound books by grade and are used in conjunction with the Presentation Pages so the student can view both the reading passage, mathematics scenario, or science phenomenon and associated items together.
- Preparing adaptations (for example, enlarging materials or incorporating texture) to Presentation Pages, Passages, Scenarios, and/or Phenomena Books, and Response Option Cards to meet individual student needs.
- Determining any objects or manipulatives that may be needed for the presentation of the task to the student. Refer to the printed Task Administration Manuals for optional mathematics and science object lists.
Placing Additional Orders in PearsonAccess Next
The window for placing additional orders in PearsonAccess Next for MCA paper test materials and MTAS/Alt MCA test materials opens on Feb. 24. Additional test materials can be ordered until noon on the Tuesday before the last day of the testing windows to ensure there is enough time for districts to receive the requested materials. Additional orders may be placed for the following reasons:
- Students have newly enrolled or there were changes in accommodations/universal supports or test assignments after Jan. 23.
- The district decided not to receive MTAS/Alt MCA test materials in the initial test materials shipment (a decision made during Pretest Editing).
For step-by-step instructions on placing an additional order, refer to Ordering Additional Test Materials guide posted on the User Guides page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. For any questions about placing additional orders, contact the Pearson help desk at 888-817-8659 or submit a Pearson help desk request online.
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Starting Feb. 16, districts will be able to complete the following tasks in PearsonAccess Next in preparation for the spring 2026 MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA test administrations:
- Create test sessions, prepare test sessions, and print student testing tickets for MCA (all subjects) and Alt MCA (Reading and Science).
- Assign MTAS (Math only) student tests to MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrator user roles.
- Enter Learner Characteristics Inventory (LCI) data (MTAS and Alt MCA).
- Create reporting groups (MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA).
Note: Test sessions cannot be started until March 2, the first day of the testing window. However, it is recommended that test sessions are not started until the actual day of test administration.
The following user guides will be available on the Minnesota Assessment Hub by Monday, Feb. 16:
Setting up MCA and Alt MCA Test Sessions
Step-by-step instructions for setting up test sessions and printing student testing tickets are available in the user guides referenced above. For MCA, all students, whether testing online or paper, must be added to a test session in PearsonAccess Next. For additional guidance on data entry for students taking a paper MCA, refer to the MCA Data Entry User Guide.
For Reading and Science Alt MCA, all student responses—regardless of administration mode (online, paper, or hybrid)—must be entered in TestNav for scoring. Students and/or Test Administrators must be provided with a testing ticket in order to access the student’s test in TestNav. Responses are entered directly into TestNav by the student (with Test Administrator support) or the Test Administrator. If a student tests using only paper materials, responses are recorded on the Data Collection Form and then must be entered into TestNav by district or school staff for scoring before the end of the testing window. Refer to the MTAS/Alt MCA Data Entry and Online Testing User Guide for step-by-step instructions for creating test sessions, printing testing tickets, and other Alt MCA administrative tasks in PearsonAccess Next.
Assign Student Math MTAS Tests to MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrators for Data Entry
District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) and Assessment Administrator (AA) users must first assign students with a Mathematics MTAS test assignment to staff with the MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrator user role in PearsonAccess Next before those users can enter MTAS data in PearsonAccess Next. For step-by-step instructions on assigning MTAS/Alt MCA Test Administrator users to student MTAS tests in PearsonAccess Next, refer to the MTAS/Alt MCA Data Entry and Online Testing User Guide on the Test Administration Resources page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. The User Guide will be posted by Monday, Feb. 16.
Additional Training
The following trainings are available in the Learning Management System (LMS) (Test Administration catalog > Optional Trainings tag).
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Managing MCA and Alt MCA Test Sessions in PearsonAccess Nextis for staff who manage MCA or Alt MCA test sessions in PearsonAccess Next; the course provides information about using the system before and during testing.
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Entering MTAS Data in PearsonAccess Nextis for staff who enter the Learner Characteristics Inventory (LCI) data and Mathematics MTAS scores/responses in PearsonAccess Next.
Reporting Groups
District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) and Assessment Administrators (AAs) can create reporting groups in PearsonAccess Next for staff to access On-Demand Reports. There are three options for creating reporting groups: manually, importing a file, or creating a reporting group from a test session. For more information, refer to the Reporting Groups User Guide, posted on the Additional Reporting Resources page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub or the Reporting Groups in PearsonAccess Next video training in the Learning Management System (LMS) (DAC catalog > Pearson Trainings tag).
Note: Due to 2025-26 being the first operational administration of the new Reading MCA and Reading Alt MCA, On-Demand Reports will not be available for these assessments this year. Also, because Science MCA includes constructed response items, On-Demand Reports for Science MCA may not be available until 72 hours after test submission.
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Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) describe what students know and are able to do at each performance level on Minnesota’s statewide assessments for Reading and Science. MDE is recruiting educators to participate in the PLD committee this summer. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of what student performance looks like at different levels of the academic standards. Please share this information with educators who might be interested in developing resources for Minnesota educators as a PLD panelist:
If you are an educator looking for a robust summer learning opportunity, MDE will be seeking participants to engage in person on the development of the Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) in the following content areas on July 20-22:
- Science for grades K-2
- Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Space Science strands for grades 9-12
- Expanding PLDs to cover all ELA strands K-12
An application is available to those interested and is now open until March 19. MDE is looking for these panelists to bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the process, representing all students in Minnesota, no matter the ZIP code. MDE’s goal is to have individuals who represent educators/specialists and parents, including EC-2, higher education from education department representation, school leaders from primary, intermediate, or secondary levels, early childhood coordinators, and staff including those with experience supporting multilingual learners and students receiving special education services. Please share this application within your schools and community.
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Pearson provides a variety of trainings to prepare for test administration. The Upcoming Pearson Trainings document, posted on the Training page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub, provides a description of each training and has been updated to reflect the posting dates in the Learning Management System (LMS).
The following trainings are now available in the LMS:
- User Management in PearsonAccess Next
- Reporting Groups in PearsonAccess Next
- Technology Coordinator Training
- DAC Pearson Basics Training (1-2 years)
- Pearson DAC Test Administration Training
- TestNav and Student Readiness Tools
The TestNav and Student Readiness Tools training was posted last week and provides an overview of TestNav general functionality, and how to access and utilize the Student Readiness Tools (SRTs). Please consider sharing this training with educators who may find it useful.
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For MCA, there are two versions of the MCA Testing Directions, Testing Directions: Online for online administrations and Testing Directions: Paper for paper administrations. Translated versions in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish are now posted on the Test Administration Resources page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. The translated testing directions are for Test Monitors to provide translated directions to students who need this universal support. Only the portions read aloud to the student are translated.
Note: Audio versions of translated directions in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish will also be available on the Minnesota Assessment Hub and are in addition to the written version that may be provided by the Test Monitor. The audio versions are anticipated to be available by the end of February and will be announced in an upcoming Assessment Update when they are ready.
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February Q&A Session: Precode, Early Student Results, and General Test Administration (repeat)
MDE will host a virtual Q&A session for District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) on Feb. 17, from 2-3 p.m. that will focus on precode, early student results, and general test administration. New and experienced DACs are welcome to attend. Register for the February Q&A Session. Please note that registration will close 24 hours in advance of the Q&A session. Details for joining will be provided when registrations are approved.
The prerequisites for the February Q&A session are the Understanding Student Precode training, which is posted in the Learning Management System (LMS), and the following sections from Chapter 11 of the Procedures Manual: Process for the Release of Final Assessment and Accountability Results and Overview of Secure Systems and Available Reports. MDE collects questions from DACs prior to the event to help prepare and find relevant resources to share. After reviewing the prerequisites, submit questions for the February DAC Q&A Session. Q&A sessions will not be recorded nor will CEUs be provided as these are considered additional supports rather than training events.
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MDE Closed for Presidents Day
In observance of Presidents Day, MDE offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16. Responses to emails and phone calls will be delayed to Tuesday, Feb. 17.
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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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