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An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
May 20, 2026
Important Dates
May 18-June 5: Posttest Editing in Test WES
May 18: Begin retrieving early WIDA assessment results in Test WES
May 20 (noon): Deadline for Late Student Response Entry Requests
June 4: Deadline to submit MARSS data for Posttest Editing
Quick Links
The following resources are available for districts working on Posttest Editing:
- The Test WES Posttest Editing User Guide, posted on the Test WES page of the MDE website, provides detailed information on Posttest Editing for District Assessment Coordinators (DACs).
- The Posttest Editing Training is posted in the Learning Management System (LMS).
Creating Blank Assessments to Indicate Test Codes
Blank assessment records can be created for adding test codes. Before adding any blank assessments, verify that you have already resolved all assessment errors or other warnings, since resolving them may remove the need to create a blank assessment. To indicate a test code, use the Add Blank Assessment function to create a blank record. For step-by-step instructions, refer to page 33 of the Test WES Posttest Editing User Guide. When Posttest Editing first opened, blank assessments could not be added for WIDA ACCESS or Reading MCA-IV/Alt MCA. This has been corrected as of Monday night, May 18.
When a blank record is added in Test WES, you can choose MTAS, Alt MCA, and WIDA Alternate ACCESS if the student would have taken an alternate assessment instead of MCA or WIDA ACCESS. Note: The last assessment added will default for future blank assessments, meaning if Alt MCA is selected that will be the default the next time you add a blank assessment in the Science test group. Confirm the assessment is correct before adding. If you add a blank record with the wrong test assigned, please email MDE at mde.testing@state.mn.us.
Full-time Postsecondary Enrollment Options Students
Full-time Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) students are not required to test and generally will not show up as discrepancies in Test WES if indicated correctly in student enrollment data. In special cases in which the district pays the college directly, a discrepancy will exist in Posttest Editing for the student. In these cases, districts submit a document to MDE via File Exchange in Test WES with the required information to indicate PSEO to resolve the discrepancy. Email MDE at mde.testing@state.mn.us when the document is uploaded to File Exchange to ensure the indications can be made as soon as possible. Refer to page 32 of the Test WES Posttest Editing User Guide for full details.
The deadline for submitting information on these PSEO students is Wednesday, June 3. This deadline allows MDE to ensure requests are entered before Posttest Editing closes.
Note: The district’s document must include all the bulleted items listed on page 32 of the Posttest Editing User Guide and must be uploaded in Test WES via File Exchange. Do not email the document.
Late Student Response Entries Loaded to Test WES
All late student response entry requests for MCA or MTAS/Alt MCA, along with any related materials, must have been received by Pearson by noon on May 20. Requests received by this deadline will be available in Test WES before the close of the Posttest Editing window and included in the releases of final accountability and assessment results. Any late student response entry requests received after that deadline will be loaded in final results later this fall.
English Learner Status in MARSS
All students identified as an English learner (EL) in enrollment data submitted to MDE are expected to participate in a WIDA assessment. Please keep the following in mind as you complete Posttest Editing:
- Eligibility: Students must be indicated as EL to take a WIDA assessment. If a student took a WIDA assessment but their enrollment record does not indicate EL status, the report code will be set to Invalid (INV) when published, and this cannot be reversed. To avoid this issue, update enrollment records by Thursday, June 4.
- Students identified as EL after the testing window: If a student was enrolled on the first day of the WIDA assessment window but was identified as EL after that date—even after the window closed—a blank assessment must be created with a test code of Not Attempted (NA). Minnesota Standardized English Learner Procedures require districts to complete the identification process for students who enroll after the start of the school year within two weeks. For questions about EL identification procedures, contact mde.el@state.mn.us.
- Incorrect EL status in enrollment data: If a student exited EL services after the previous school year but their MARSS enrollment data still indicates EL status, work with your MARSS Coordinator to determine whether the status can be updated. MARSS Coordinators should contact marss@state.mn.us for support.
Confirming Inactive Records are Correct
If a student record is missing one or more domain scores for a WIDA assessment, the overall report code will be Not Complete (NC). Districts often identify these records when the early student-level results file shows no composite score.
If the student did not participate in a domain, you may update the test code to indicate the reason for non-participation.
If the student did participate in the missing domain, the most common issue is that the Writing domain was not merged with the Listening, Reading, and Speaking domains due to mismatched student information across the two records. In some cases, Test WES may have matched—but not merged—the records. To ensure the records are merged in final results, verify that the demographic information is identical on both the active and inactive records. Additional guidance is available in the Test WES Posttest Editing User Guide.
Do Not Score Codes and Suppressed Results
Do Not Score codes entered during the WIDA test administration window may be applied differently by WIDA/DRC and MDE.
When a district enters a Do Not Score code (test code) in WIDA AMS or hand-bubbles a code on a paper test booklet, DRC applies the code and suppresses all scores related to that domain. As part of the data validation process, MDE identifies cases where an applied test code does not match state policy. For example, if a student started a domain but the district applied a Declined (DEC) code because the student later refused to continue, the domain should still produce a valid score. See Chapter 6 in the Procedures Manual for more information about valid score rules.
MDE removes inapplicable test codes before districts review test records in Test WES during Posttest Editing. As a result, districts may occasionally see a domain with a Valid Score (VS) code in Test WES but a blank domain score and associated composite scores in the early student-level results file.
After Posttest Editing, MDE asks DRC to remove Do Not Score codes that are inapplicable. Once the code is removed, DRC generates the valid domain score(s). Districts will have access to these scores when final District and School Student Results (DSR/SSR) files are available in Secure Reports.
Districts should review Posttest Editing records carefully and understand that some suppressed scores may later be restored if the student produced a scorable response.
If contacted by MDE, documentation about instances of plagiarism and out-of-grade-band assessment warnings must be reported by the end of the Posttest Editing window on Friday, June 5.
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Translated versions of the 2026-27 Statewide Assessments: Parent/Guardian Participation Guide and Refusal Information forms are now available in the 10 most populous languages in Minnesota on the Translated Documents page of the MDE website. The 2026-27 English version of this form must be included in your district’s 2026-27 student handbook and posted on your district’s or charter school’s website. The English form is posted on the Student Participation page of the MDE website.
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As communicated in the May 13 Assessment Update, Pearson is transitioning from PearsonAccess Next to the LaunchPad and ADAM systems for the spring 2027 test administrations. LaunchPad provides a single login experience, giving users centralized access to the Learning Management System (LMS) and ADAM. LaunchPad will also be used for creating and managing users and verifying student enrollment and demographic data. ADAM will serve as the primary platform for test administration and reporting.
In early October, Pearson will offer a live, virtual training providing District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) with a high-level overview of the LaunchPad and ADAM platforms. Starting in late October, Pearson will lead bi-weekly office hours to cover specific tasks to be completed in LaunchPad and ADAM. Office hours and additional trainings will be scheduled throughout the fall and winter in preparation for the spring 2027 test administrations.
Additional details, including timelines, training opportunities, and required actions, will be communicated as they become available.
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Districts that have received assessment results for the college entrance exam they administered (ACT or SAT) should enter requests for reimbursements in the Graduation Requirements Records (GRR) system for eligible students. If a district has not previously received reimbursement for a grade 11 or grade 12 student, districts will be reimbursed for students eligible for a free/reduced-priced meal (FRP) who are entered into GRR.
Districts may also be reimbursed (on a prorated basis if necessary) for students who are unable to pay for the exam. Districts must determine the criteria for unable to pay and enter those requests in GRR.
Districts must submit eligible reimbursement requests no later than Sept. 4. Note: After requesting reimbursement, the district should 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 Graduation Requirements Records (GRR) Training, which is posted in the Learning Management System (LMS).
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May Q&A Session: Posttest Editing (repeat)
MDE will host a virtual Q&A session for District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) from 2-3 p.m. on May 26, that will focus on Posttest Editing in Test WES. Register for the May Q&A Session. Please note that registration will close 24 hours in advance of the Q&A session. Details for joining will be provided once registrations are approved.
The prerequisite for the May Q&A session is to review Chapter 10 in the Procedures Manual (“After Test Administration”), focusing on MCA and MTAS/Alt MCA, and to watch the Posttest Editing in Test WES Training in the Learning Management System (LMS) (DAC catalog > MDE DAC Training tag).
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 May 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 Memorial Day
In observance of Memorial Day, MDE offices will be closed on Monday, May 25. Responses to emails and phone calls will be delayed to Tuesday, May 26.
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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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