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An update from the Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Vol. 4, No. 10: June 8, 2026
Note: There will be no July edition of Educator Edition newsletter
Reading MCA and Alt MCA Results Release
Student results from the new Reading MCA and Reading Alternate MCA (Alt MCA) will be released in the fall. This year was the first administration of these new assessments, which are aligned to the updated 2020 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts (ELA). The Guidance for Reading MCA-IV and Alternate MCA Results Release document provides an overview of the revised ELA standards and the new reading statewide assessments, along with guidance and resources for using these results to support curriculum and instructional planning, continuous improvement, and communicating results to families and the public. It is posted on the District Resources page under Test Score Interpretation Resources.
All new assessments must go through a “standard setting” process before scores can be released. For the new Reading MCA and Alt MCA, this process will take place in summer 2026. During standard setting, Minnesota educators will work together to make recommendations for what students need to know and be able to do at each performance level. There are four performance levels for the new series of assessments: Beginning, Intermediate, Meets, and Advanced. The standard setting committees will recommend cut scores, which determine the corresponding level for each score. Watch the Overview of the Standard Setting Process for MCA and Alternate MCA video for more information.
Figure 1: Cut Scores Separating the MCA and Alt MCA Performance Levels
 Once standard setting is complete, student results will be prepared for reporting to districts and the public, which is a later timeline than reading results are typically released. Results are required to be reported publicly by Oct. 1. The process for reporting results is as follows:
- Student-level and summary-level assessment results are first released to districts via Assessment Secure Reports (beginning with District and School Student Results (DSR/SSR) files and then Test Results Summary reports). These results are “embargoed,” meaning districts and schools may use them internally for curriculum and instructional planning but may not share summary-level results publicly.
- When MDE lifts the embargo, final assessment results are made public on the Minnesota Report Card and the Data Reports and Analytics pages of the MDE website.
- Individual Student Reports (ISRs) are provided to districts for distribution to families.
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).
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Summer Tasks: Update Curriculum Leader Information and Subscription
MDE recognizes that districts most often experience personnel changes during the summer months. If your district experiences a Curriculum Leader(s) change, please update this information in MDE-ORG. In MDE-ORG, search for your organization and select Contact View to review the contact information for District Curriculum Leaders and other district roles. In order to be designated as the District Curriculum Leader in MDE-ORG, your district’s Site Verification Coordinator (SVC) must update the information in the District and School Site Verification system.
Please also encourage fellow educators and future Curriculum Leaders to sign up to receive this Educator Edition newsletter. Log in to the Subscriber Preferences page with your email address to add or delete subscriptions, or modify your password or email address. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com.
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Apply for the Physical Education Standards Committee by July 5
MDE is seeking applicants to serve on the Physical Education Standards Committee. Both Physical Education teachers and student representatives from many groups are encouraged to apply, as described in the Assumptions for Guiding the Physical Education Standards Committee and Physical Education Standards Committee Guiding Assumptions for Students documents.
Apply to serve on the Adult PE Standards Committee.
Apply to serve on the Student PE Standards Committee.
The goal of the Physical Education Standards Committee is to review and revise the current K-12 Minnesota Academic Standards in Physical Education. Applicants must agree to the assumptions and the timeline, as well as be available for all virtual and in-person meetings from September 2026 through June 2027. In addition to full group meetings, there will be several virtual small group meetings scheduled to draft standards and benchmarks.
The application window is now open and will close on July 5.
More information on the Standards Review and Revision process is available on the Physical Education Standards Review and Revision page.
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Free Native Arts Institute & Cohort
What: The Native Arts Institute & Cohort supports K-12 arts educators to design meaningful and authentic learning experiences about Dakota and Ojibwe arts, learning with Iyekiyapiwiƞ Darlene St. Clair; artists, makers, and performers from Tribal Nations in Minnesota; and MDE arts specialists.
Who: K-12 Arts Educators
When: Three-day summer institute Aug. 4-6, location TBD. Three additional professional development days during the school year: two virtual and one in person.
How: Please visit MDE’s Arts Standards page under the heading “Professional Learning and Upcoming Events” for more details and registration information. Participants can be reimbursed for mileage. Participants traveling further than 50 miles will also be eligible for a hotel. Substitute teacher costs can be reimbursed if needed.
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Summer Arts Educator Professional Development
What: In addition to MDE offerings, the Perpich Center for Arts Education provides professional development for arts educators and has many opportunities support K-12 teaching and learning in the arts this summer, including the second annual Book Fair celebrating BIPOC authors and illustrators.
Who: K-12 Arts Educators
When: Throughout the summer
How: Visit the Professional Development and Resource Programs calendar on the Perpich Center for Arts Education website for more details and registration information.
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Save The Dates: 2026-27 Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect Series
What: MTAS/Alternate MCA Test Administrators and special education staff are invited to meet with MDE Alternate Assessment Specialists to give feedback, ask questions, and connect with other special education staff from across the state.
When: Beginning in October, the series is on the second Wednesday of each month (except November) from 4-5 p.m. The 2026-27 dates are Oct. 14, Nov. 12, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12.
Register now for the entire series
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Save The Dates: 2026-27 Curriculum Leader Meetings
What: Curriculum Leaders Meetings provide Curriculum Leaders with resources and professional development updates, implementation guidance, information around educational trends or topics, technical assistance regarding feedback from survey responses, and opportunities to learn about other MDE supports. New and experienced Curriculum Directors are welcome to attend.
When: Oct. 6, Jan. 26, and May 4, at 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. each day.
How: Registration links will be shared in an upcoming Educator Edition. Note: Registration is required 24 hours in advance.
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Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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