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An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Feb. 25, 2026
Important Dates
Feb. 16: Start completing MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA administration tasks in PearsonAccess Next
Feb. 24: Additional materials ordering window opens in PearsonAccess Next
Feb. 24-26: Receive paper MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA test materials
March 2: MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA testing windows open
March 13: Last day to order additional paper test materials in WIDA AMS for WIDA assessments
March 20: End of WIDA assessment administration window; Last day to complete administration tasks in WIDA AMS
Quick Links
In response to changes in Minnesota’s statewide reading tests, MDE staff are preparing to submit a request for a one-year waiver from certain ESSA-related requirements to the U.S. Department of Education. If the waiver request is approved, MDE would not calculate reading progress or use reading data when identifying schools for support in 2026.
The draft waiver is posted on the Minnesota State Plan page of MDE’s website. Public comment can be sent to mde.essa@state.mn.us. The deadline to submit public comment is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 6.
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The WIDA assessment administration window continues through March 20. Please review the following reminders related to materials management, data accuracy, and scoring integrity.
Reminder: Ordering Additional Materials
WIDA requires member states to limit Additional Materials Orders (AMOs) to reduce waste and shipping costs. WIDA and MDE ask that each district place no more than one AMO per year. Note: Materials available only through an AMO, such as the human reader script, do not count toward this limit.
WIDA/DRC automatically include a 15 percent overage of paper materials with each initial order of more than 10 tests. As described in Chapter 7 of the Procedures Manual, District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) should use the district-level overage and all school-level overages before placing an AMO. MDE will follow up with DACs when excessive AMOs are placed in WIDA AMS.
When placing an AMO:
- Select “District-Level Additional Orders Only Site-WWW” in the school dropdown.
- Do not select an individual school name. All additional orders must be placed at the district level.
Detailed instructions can be found in the WIDA AMS User Guide and the Online Help articles, available on the WIDA AMS website.
Confirming Data Accuracy
If your district needs to manually add an English learner (EL) to WIDA AMS (for example, a newly enrolled student), ensure all student information entered exactly matches enrollment data submitted to MDE (MARSS/Ed-Fi). Any discrepancy may result in scoring or reporting issues, including delayed or invalid results. Detailed instructions can be found in the WIDA AMS User Guide and the Online Help articles, available on the WIDA AMS website.
If a student will use a scorable test booklet, affix a District/School label to the front cover and hand-bubble required demographic information using a number 2 pencil. Not all demographic fields are required for Minnesota; refer to Chapter 8 of the Procedures Manual for details.
Before returning materials, confirm that:
- All hand-bubbled information is accurate and exactly matches enrollment data.
- No additional markings (including Do Not Score codes) appear in the booklet that could affect scanning or scoring.
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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The MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA testing window opens on March 2 and will remain open until May 1 (May 8 for the Science MCA only).
MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA Irregularities Document
The MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA Irregularities document has been posted to the Policies and Procedures page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. This document outlines situations or misadministrations that may occur during MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA testing and whether actions are needed by the district, MDE, or Pearson.
Pearson Help Desk Procedure
For test administration situations or irregularities that require action by Pearson, the District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) contacts the Pearson help desk at 888-817-8659 or submits a Pearson help desk request online. Clearly state, “I have a testing irregularity and need to speak with the Minnesota Program Team.”
- The help desk verifies the situation is being reported by the DAC. If the issue is not being submitted by the DAC, the help desk instructs the staff person to contact the DAC to report the situation and work through the resolution.
- The help desk collects the initial information before escalating the issue and connecting the DAC directly to the Minnesota Program Team. The DAC will receive a follow-up phone call or email directly from the Program Team.
- The Program Team discusses the resolution with the DAC and provides directions to resolve the situation.
If there are technical issues with students actively testing, clearly state, “I am having technical issues with students actively testing and need to speak with Level 2 support.” The help desk will collect initial information before escalating directly to technology support.
The DAC must document any misadministrations, including any invalidations, on the Test Administration Report (TAR), which is available in Appendix A of the Procedures Manual and is then kept on file at the district. Districts only submit the TAR to MDE if requested. If there is a test security violation, the DAC must report it through Assessment Security Records (ASR) in Test WES.
Resources for Students and Educators: Student Readiness Tools and Minnesota Questions Tool
The following resources are available to support students and educators in preparing for the MCAs and Alt MCAs. Please share these resources with relevant staff:
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Student Readiness Tools (SRTs): Designed for students and educators, the SRTs can help students and educators become familiar with the format and functionality of the MCA and the Alt MCA. Students already prepare for the content of statewide assessments through daily instruction aligned to the academic standards – the SRTs give them the opportunity to experience the format and functionality of the test, and practice answering the different types of test questions. Students who are more comfortable with the test format are better prepared to demonstrate what they know and can do related to the academic standards. The MCA and Alt MCA SRTs are available in online, paper, and braille formats, and students should use the format that matches their test administration mode. Students can also use the SRTs to learn about and practice using available tools, supports, and accommodations, if applicable.
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Minnesota Questions Tool (MQT): Designed for educators, the MQT provides educators with access to released or sample questions from previously administered MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA. Educators can use this tool to understand how the MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA are aligned to the Minnesota Academic Standards, and how the items are written to reflect the rigor and complexity of the standards.
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Any device that can capture, retain, and/or send information is not permitted to be accessible to a student while testing unless it is for a specific approved exception such as a cell phone for a medical monitor. In addition to ensuring students do not have access to cell phones and smart watches during test administration, please ensure that no student has access to glasses that have a camera and/or microphone. There are multiple brands of these glasses, but a key component of prohibited smart glasses is the camera(s) appears as a small circle facing forward on the front of the frame.
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Recorded translated versions of the Testing Directions: Online and Testing Directions: Paper for all three subjects of the MCAs in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish are posted on the Test Administration Resources page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. These recordings can be used by Test Monitors, alongside the applicable Testing Directions, to provide translated directions to students who need this universal support. Only the portions of the directions read aloud to the student are translated. A quick guide that provides instructions for playing these recordings is also available on the Test Administration Resources page.
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The following changes have been made in PearsonAccess Next and TestNav in preparation for the 2026 MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA test administrations.
PearsonAccess Next
- New Test Forms in PearsonAccess Next: Assistive Technology – Screenreader and Assistive Technology – Non-Screenreader online forms for Reading MCA/Alt MCA and Science MCA/Alt MCA, and Read Aloud online forms for Reading MCA, are available as separate test forms in PearsonAccess Next. Students with the applicable accommodation are eligible to be added to a test session with the new test form assignments.
- Resume Functionality: For student tests stuck in an Active status in PearsonAccess Next, users can change the student test status directly from “Active” to “Resume.” Users no longer need to place the student in “Resume Upload” status before resuming the test.
- PearsonAccess Next Chat: An updated chat feature is available within PearsonAccess Next. To initiate a chat, select the updated chat icon on the bottom right corner. Users are prompted to enter their first name, last name, email, phone number, description of the issue, and school (district is also acceptable). Users are initially connected to a virtual assistant that creates the case before being connected to a live agent.
TestNav
- Text-to-Speech “Voice” (MCA and Alt MCA): The voice for text-to-speech has been upgraded to a higher quality, more humanlike voice, providing a better experience for students who use this support.
- Math Tools (MCA): The following tools are now available for the Math MCA:
- Pencil: Students can use the pencil tool to draw or write directly on all test questions.
- Protractor: The protractor tool can be used on specific grade 4 questions to measure angles.
- Ruler: Grade 4 questions now have the ruler tool available to use on measurement questions.
- Reading English Glossary (MCA): The English Glossary feature is now available for the Reading MCA. Students can use this feature to hear or see the definition of certain words.
- Text-to-Speech Auto-Play (Alt MCA only): The auto-play option with text-to-speech is no longer available. A student or Test Administrator must select the “Click to Listen” button on the text-to-speech panel and then select the parts of the passage, phenomenon, or item to listen to the text-to-speech.
- Back/Next Buttons (Alt MCA only): The Back and Next navigational buttons in the online test have been moved outside of the collapsible test panel to make it easier to navigate through the test without having to open and close the test panel on each question.
- De-select Answer Response (Alt MCA only): When entering student responses in TestNav for Alt MCA, if a Test Administrator inadvertently selects an answer response for an item the student did not respond to, the test administrator can now de-select the answer response to remove the selection. The No Response option within the Admin menu should then be selected.
To familiarize staff and students with the features above, refer to the following resources:
- Online SRTs and Alternate MCA SRTs sections of the StudentReadiness Tools page on Minnesota Assessment Hub.
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MCA Online Testing User Guide and MCA Data Entry User Guide on the User Guides page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub.
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MTAS and Alt MCA Data Entry and Online Testing User Guide on the Test Administration Resources page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub.
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Pearson DAC Test Administration Training, PearsonAccess Next: For New DACs, and TestNav and Student Readiness Tools trainings in the Learning Management System (LMS) (DAC catalog > Pearson Trainings tag).
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The MCA and Alternate MCA Test Development team values collaborating with educators and community members interested in participating in the development of test materials for use on the Minnesota statewide assessments. Annually, there are two types of opportunities for educator engagement. Please share these opportunities with relevant staff.
Educator and Community MCA/Alt MCA Review Committees
Committee member groups include:
- Science, math, and English language arts (ELA) classroom teachers with experience teaching the standards in grades 3-8 and high school
- Special education teachers with all licensures, but particularly teachers who work with students with significant cognitive disabilities to review the alternate assessment
- Multilingual learner educators
- Community members
Interested educators and community members can apply to be part of a committee using the registration link. By registering once in the database, individuals indicate interest in being invited to future committees. Each year, invitations are sent out based on expertise in grade level and content areas as committees are formed. Individuals can decline or accept the invitation based on their availability.
Each MCA and Alternate MCA Review Committee meets virtually, typically from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., for two to four days. Most committees occur from June to August, but there are also passage review committees that meet in February. Participants are paid a $160 honorarium per day for their participation, or the district or charter will be reimbursed for any substitute costs.
Item Writing for Science MCA-IV
Science educators are invited to apply to be an item writer for the Science MCA-IV in Summer 2026. Required training covers 4.5 days, with approximately 15-20 additional hours needed to independently complete the writing assignments. The training focuses on how to write engaging grade-level phenomena and questions tied to the 2019 Minnesota Science Standards, with the goal to generate creative thinking and to unique teaching approaches as we build a repository of phenomena and questions for the Science MCA-IV.
Selected writers will:
- Attend required training/work days:
- June 17 (morning only, virtual)
- July 15-16 (in person, at or near MDE)
- August 4-5 (in person, at or near MDE)
- Work independently to complete two phenomenon-based scenarios with 7-8 questions for each phenomenon by Aug. 12.
- Build a robust understanding of and diverse perspectives on the 2019 Science standards, learn skills and practices that support strong classroom assessment, earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and receive monetary participation compensation.
If interested in being part of this Science MCA-IV Item Writer cycle, educators fill out the MCA Science Item Writer Application by April 26. Selected writers will be contacted the week of May 4-8. Writers will be chosen based on grade-level and content-area writing needs, as well as experience in developing assessments.
Educator participation as a writer increases the impact teachers have on the Science MCA-IV assessment and engages more teachers around the state. If you have science educators who might be interested in participating, please send them this information.
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When emailing MDE with a question about a specific student’s test or situation, only use their MARSS/SSID number. For student privacy, do not send student Personally Identifiable Information such as names or dates of birth in the email, including in screenshots or attachments.
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By Jan. 1, the specific testing schedules by grade and subject posted on the district website should be reviewed and updated, if needed. Test administration calendar examples are found in the Procedures Manual on pages 348-351. Minor changes can be made after Jan. 1 to ensure calendars are accurate. If your district has internal procedures for reviewing and approving calendars before information can be posted, take that into account when preparing updates.
MDE reviews testing calendars and will communicate directly with the District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) if MDE determines a district’s calendar is not available or is incomplete. Detailed information on the core requirements for district testing calendars can be found in the Procedures Manual starting on page 160.
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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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March Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect
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 March session on Wednesday, March 11 from 4-5 p.m. Please register for the Alt Assessment Chat and Connect. In March we will learn about the 2026 MTAS/Alt MCA data entry process and test administration modes and discuss administration questions.
We will be meeting on 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. However, when registering for the first time, registration for each session closes 24 hours before the meeting time. The Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect dates for this year are March 11, April 8, and May 13 at 4 p.m. For more information, contact ALT.Assessment.MDE@state.mn.us.
March WIDA Assessment Webinars
WIDA and DRC will host the following webinars in March:
- WIDA ACCESS Data Validation, March 3, 1-2 p.m.
- WIDA ACCESS Scores and Reports, March 10, 1-2 p.m.
More information, including webinar links, is available on the Webinars page in the WIDA Secure Portal. Recordings of WIDA assessment webinars are typically posted in the Secure Portal within one week of the live session.
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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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