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Semiannual update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Vol. 4, No. 2: April 28, 2026
The Future of Standards Implementation
By Jennifer Dugan
Director of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
School year 2025-26 marked the full implementation of the 2020 Minnesota Academic Standards in English Language Arts (ELA), and school year 2026-27 will be the first year to implement the 2021 Minnesota Academic Standards in Social Studies. The development of the Health Standards is nearing completion, and the revision of the Physical Education Standards will begin soon.
The process of integrating new or revised academic standards into daily instruction occurs across many years and stages and is guided by various individuals in the education community, including school leaders, schools, and educators. To better support the individuals and institutions tasked with carrying out this important work, we are seeking to ensure that all educators have a clear understanding of the entire process and are aware of the available supportive resources.
Your focus this year has been on the implementation of the ELA standards; more articles on this topic are below. Many of you have utilized professional development opportunities through your Regional Co-ops. We’ll continue to collaborate with COMPASS, Regional Co-ops and professional organizations to continuously improve standards implementation resources.
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As MDE looks ahead to summer 2026 and the 2026-27 school year, the Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment will continue expanding and refining professional development supports for districts, schools, and educators across multiple content areas. Because districts are at different stages of implementation—from early adoption to long-term maintenance—our approach will remain responsive and differentiated to meet educators where they are.
Across content areas, specialists will focus on developing and releasing high‑quality resources aligned to the evolving needs of the field. For example, once the new Health Education Academic Standards are approved, Health content specialists will launch a comprehensive professional development plan to support rollout. ELA, now completing its first year of implementation, will continue expanding materials and tools on the ELA implementation webpages. Other content specialists will deepen next year’s Content Leaders Network supports, strengthen standards interpretation resources, update standards implementation webpages, build Canvas modules, and design instructional tools for teacher use.
The overarching goal is to provide educators with consistent, equitable, and effective support through ongoing training and progress monitoring, ensuring that high‑quality instruction grounded in Minnesota’s K-12 Academic Standards reaches every classroom and every learner.
Looking to summer 2026, MDE—working in collaboration with educators across the state—will embark on the development of content‑specific Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs). PLDs support educational equity by clearly defining the learning expectations educators that guide instruction aligned to Minnesota’s K-12 Academic Standards. These descriptors will also help teachers examine the depth and rigor of their curriculum, instruction, and classroom assessments.
PLDs will articulate both standard- and grade‑level benchmark expectations for all K-8 learners and for grade bands 9-12. This work will also ensure alignment across all K-12 content areas and the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPs).
PLDs will serve multiple purposes, including:
- Helping educators and families interpret student assessment results.
- Supporting teachers in making instructional decisions that advance student learning.
- Providing structure and clarity during standards implementation.
- Establishing consistent criteria for statewide assessment performance levels during standard setting.
This year’s PLD development will include tested and non‑tested content areas such as K-2 ELA and Science. Beginning July 20-22, content specialists, the Early Learning Division, and educator committee panelists will engage in this collaborative process, which will include a period for public comment. The goal is to complete PLDs for all ELA strands 3-12, as well as Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Space Science.
As we conclude the first year of ELA implementation, we are also preparing for the next major transition: the launch of Social Studies standards implementation for the 2026-27 school year. With momentum building and collaboration at the forefront, MDE is poised to continue strengthening instructional coherence, alignment, and equity across Minnesota’s K-12 education system.
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Health Standards
The 2025 Minnesota K-12 Health Education Standards have advanced through extensive review and revision, including multiple opportunities for stakeholder input, and are now moving through the formal rulemaking and adoption process. The Court of Administrative Hearings held virtual public hearings on the Proposed Rules Relating to Academic Standards in Health on April 13-14. Information on the hearings is found in the Updated Notice of Hearing on Proposed Health Education Standards document. Questions may be directed to Adam Heuett (Adam.Heuett@state.mn.us), MDE Deputy General Counsel.
MDE is also developing and curating a collection of resources to support districts and educators as they prepare for the full implementation of the Health standards in the 2028-29 school year. These resources include standards documents, supplemental materials, and guidance to support shared understanding, standards alignment of resources, and instructional shifts.
Physical Education Implementation
MDE is preparing for the review and revision of the statewide Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Physical Education during the 2026-27 school year, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes.
As this work gets underway, MDE will share opportunities for engagement and input. All meetings will be posted on the MDE calendar, and public comment or feedback periods will be announced on the Physical Education Standards Review and Revision webpage. Stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed by signing up for the Physical Education Standards Public Comment mailing list to receive email notifications.
When MDE officially initiates rulemaking with the Court of Administrative Hearings related to the Physical Education Standards, information about the rulemaking efforts will be found on the Active Rulemaking page.
Social Studies Implementation
To support successful implementation in the upcoming school year (2026-27) of the 2021 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, MDE has a number of implementation supports available to schools and districts. Some of those supports are technical support documents which can be found on the Social Studies Standards Implementation page. Some are professional development offerings.
Implementation Support Documents
Learning Progressions:
Eras:
Math Standards Implementation
To support successful implementation of the 2022 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Mathematics in the 2027-28 school year, there are multiple stages for the state, districts, curriculum directors, and educators to work through. As such, MDE has started a collection of implementation resources on the Math Standards Implementation page. The final collection will include official standards documents, standards supplemental resources, and resources to support shared understanding of standards implementation, curriculum selection and adaptation, and instructional shifts. Some of the resources that can be found are:
Please continue to check the Math Standards Implementation page, as resources will be added to this page during the 2027-28 math implementation process.
Arts Standards Implementation
To support ongoing successful implementation of the required 2018 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts, MDE continues to develop implementation supports for educators, schools, and districts.
Top five arts standards implementation resources:
Looking ahead, the Minnesota Arts Standards will be reviewed and potentially revised by a committee in school year 2027-28. There will be multiple opportunities for input during the process. The implementation year will be set during the rulemaking process that follows the review and revision of the standards.
English Language Arts Standards Implementation
MDE has developed multiple resources and professional learning opportunities to support full implementation of the 2020 ELA standards this school year, 2025-26, available on the MDE ELA Standards Implementation page.
Frequently used resources include:
New resources as of fall 2025 include:
MDE partners with the Minnesota Council of Teachers of English to offer bi-monthly virtual professional learning through the Minnesota ELA Leaders Network. Information about this year’s meetings and a form to join the network are available on the 2025-26 ELA Leaders Network document. MDE also holds office hours for questions related to ELA Standards and the Reading MCA-IV the first Thursday of every month during the school year.
In preparation for the first administration of the ELA standards-aligned Reading MCA-IV, Academic Standards and Assessment have collaborated on additional support documents, including:
Science Implementation
Full implementation of the 2019 Minnesota Academic Standards in Science took place during the 2024-25 school year, and our focus now shifts toward continuous improvement. Registration information for Science Leader Network meetings, Science Standards and Assessment Office Hours, and MDE’s free science teacher professional development courses in Canvas can be found on the Academic Standards Science page. Resources and documents that support standards implementation can be found on the newly updated Science Standards Implementation page.
Science Instruction in the Early Grades
Computer Science Integrated Science Standards
Science Assessment Resources
- The Guidance for Science MCA-IV and Alternative MCA Results Release document provides information on the revised Minnesota Academic Standards in Science, and the new statewide assessments in science.
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Performance Level Descriptors communicate student performance on standardized assessments in terms of levels or categories of performance.
- Coming soon: Performance Level Descriptor development for K-2 Science, and High School Earth and Space Science, Chemistry, and Physics begin in summer 2026.
Ethnic Studies Grants
To support districts and charters in implementing Minnesota’s ethnic studies education requirements, MDE awarded two rounds of the Ethnic Studies Course Development for Grades 5-12: Community-Centered Knowledge Grant. In fiscal year 2025, six LEAs received funding to develop new ethnic studies courses and expand existing programming to meet the course requirement scheduled for implementation in the 2026-27 school year. Round 2 is currently underway, with grant activities expected to begin in late May 2026.
Gifted and Talented
To support educators, schools, and families in the 2025-26 school year, MDE has begun developing new resources to strengthen the integration of gifted and talented education within Minnesota’s Multi‑Tiered System of Support.
These resources include expanded guidance on early entrance to kindergarten, subject acceleration, and a social and emotional learning toolkit. All newly created tools are available on the Gifted Education webpage. The complete set of materials will feature sample procedures, classroom strategies, activities, guidance documents, family‑friendly information, and an annotated bibliography and glossary.
Professional learning continued to be a major emphasis throughout the year. Gifted and Talented Leader meetings were held quarterly, and GT Boot Camp for new coordinators met monthly. Monthly office hours provided support for immediate questions. Educators engaged in a three‑part learning series focused on the social and emotional needs of twice‑exceptional learners, while administrators explored evidence‑based practices related to early entrance to kindergarten.
STEAM Guidance Toolkit
The STEAM Guidance Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to support Minnesota schools in implementing high-quality K-5 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education. It includes seven documents that provide guidance for teachers, instructional leaders, and district administrators on creating integrated, culturally responsive, and standards-aligned STEAM programs. The toolkit outlines essential features of effective programs, offers answers to common questions, and emphasizes practices that foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration across disciplines. It also includes practical tools such as discipline-specific practice guides, visual printouts, and an interactive activity to help educators design engaging STEAM learning experiences based on important practices in each content area.
More information about the toolkit is on MDE’s STEM webpage. Please reach out to Susan Fell Johnson (susan.felljohnson@state.mn.us) for information about upcoming webinars about the toolkit.
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MDE has awarded a contract to Teaching Strategies, LLC to support the design and implementation of the new Minnesota Kindergarten Fall Assessment (MnKFA). In 2023, the Legislature directed MDE to administer a kindergarten assessment to provide policymakers with a statewide snapshot of what children know and can do at the start of kindergarten. The MnKFA is not an accountability measure or kindergarten readiness test, as kindergarten eligibility is based on age. MDE selected Teaching Strategies, LLC, based on priorities identified by Minnesota families, educators, early childhood experts, and kindergarteners. The MnKFA will encourage best practice around educating and assessing young learners. Data collected from the assessment will support classroom instruction, inform local decision-making, and contribute to a broader statewide understanding of early learning and the transition into kindergarten.
The MnKFA takes an asset-based approach that helps teachers identify where a child is in their development and learning. MDE selected four domains of learning from the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPs) that ensure the assessment is developmental in nature: Social-Emotional Development; Approaches to Learning; Language, Literacy, and Communications; and Mathematics. The MnKFA will use a 16-item subset from the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment to assess all kindergartners in fall 2027 (MDE will conduct a pilot in the fall 2026). Rather than administering a traditional test, the MnKFA is observation-based and embedded in everyday classroom experiences, allowing teachers to collect information through authentic learning activities such as conversations, play, and classroom routines.
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As the standards to which the assessments are aligned change, the assessments themselves must also change.
- 2026 is the first administration of the Reading MCA and Reading Alternate MCA (Alt MCA), aligned to the 2020 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in ELA. This testing window opened on March 2 and closes on May 1.
- 2026 was also the first administration of the WIDA ACCESS and WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten (formerly ACCESS for ELLs and Kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs) aligned to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition. This testing window closed on March 20.
Standard Setting
After the first operational administration for each assessment, a Standard Setting committee is convened to define levels of performance on the new assessment and determine what it means to be proficient on the WIDA English Language Development Standards (for WIDA ACCESS) or the Reading strand of the Minnesota Academic Standards in ELA (for Reading MCA/Alt MCA). Different standard setting processes will be used for WIDA ACCESS and Reading MCA/Alt MCA, therefore reporting timelines and processes will vary.
WIDA will conduct standard setting in summer 2026 to establish updated proficiency level cut scores that reflect the revised assessments. However, districts will continue to receive early student-level results in May to make English learner (EL) program exiting and instructional decisions. Additional results will be provided following standard setting, but will not affect exit decisions for the 2026-27 school year.
In contrast, Reading MCA and Alt MCA will go through the standard setting process in June 2026 before any student results are released. Student results are then prepared for reporting to districts and the public, resulting in a later release than typical for reading results. As you plan ahead for data usage in summer and fall 2026, keep in mind that reading results will be delayed and will not be available in the summer for activities such as professional development or for grant applications.
Confirmations for the June Reading Standard Setting Committee have been sent to accepted applicants. Thank you for encouraging participation of your district staff in the standard setting process.
Reporting Preparation
MDE is currently developing resources to provide guidance on using these new results, as well as a schedule for data releases through this fall.
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Using WIDA Assessment Results During the 2026 Transition to New Proficiency Levels is available on the Minnesota WIDA page (wida.wisc.edu > About > WIDA Consortium > Minnesota)
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Guidance for Reading MCA and Alternate MCA Results Release will be posted later this spring. An announcement will go out in the Assessment Update and Educator Edition newsletters when this resource is available.
- Once final reporting dates are determined, the Important Dates for Results Release will be posted as a stand-alone document on the Minnesota Assessment Hub website (Minnesota Assessment Hub > Resources & Training > Policies and Procedures).
As districts and schools prepare to use these results, it is important to consider your district’s standards implementation plan and how assessment results may be impacted during the transition. Results should not be compared across different assessments or assessment series, because the assessments are measuring student learning of different standards. This means the “trend line” will start over in 2026, and results for Reading MCA-IV/Alternate MCA and WIDA ACCESS/WIDA ACCESS for Kindergarten should only be compared starting with 2026 and forward.
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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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