Assessment Update: Sept. 2, 2026

department of education

Assessment Update

An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment

Sept. 2, 2026

Important Dates

Sept. 4: Deadline to submit reimbursement requests in GRR

Sept. 18: Embargoed final Reading MCA-IV/Alt MCA school, district, and state summary results available in Test Results Summary in Secure Reports

Sept. 18: Preliminary embargoed school and district accountability results (Academic Roster and North Star Report) available in Secure Reports

Sept. 24: Deadline for accountability report appeals

Sept. 30: Public release of final assessment and accountability results on MDE website; ISRs arrive in districts

Quick Links


Deadline This Friday: Reimbursement Requests

Districts must enter reimbursement requests for college entrance exams (ACT or SAT) for eligible students no later than this Friday, Sept. 4 in the Graduation Requirements Records (GRR) system. Reimbursements will be sent by the end of September.

After submitting reimbursement requests, districts must confirm expected records using the reimbursement reports, which are refreshed each morning. The Claimed Student Detail Report shows the records that are eligible for reimbursement and the reason for any records 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 recorded GRR training posted to the Learning Management System (LMS).

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Student Assessment History Report Availability

If your district is not included in the dropdown menu of the Student Assessment History Report, it means your district has not yet submitted enrollment data for the 2026-27 school year. District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) must work with their District MARSS Coordinator to determine when enrollment data will be submitted.

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Save the Date: Virtual New DAC Orientation

In October, MDE and Pearson will present the New DAC Orientation, which will provide an overview of the various roles and responsibilities of a District Assessment Coordinator (DAC), the statewide assessments administered in Minnesota, relevant MDE, Pearson, and WIDA systems, available resources, and training opportunities. Pearson will provide information on their systems and available resources. This training is specifically designed for new DACs; however, more experienced DACs are also welcome to attend.

New DAC Orientation will be a two-part series on ZoomGov. Participants will register to attend both days:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 7, 9-11 a.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 8, 9-11 a.m.

Note: No in-person training will be provided this year. If you are not able to attend the virtual New DAC Orientation, a prerecorded version will be available in the LMS on Oct. 9. More information, including registration links, will be posted in a future Assessment Update.

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Odds and Ends

MDE Closed for Labor Day

In observance of Labor Day, MDE offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7. Responses to emails and phone calls will be delayed to Tuesday, Sept. 8.

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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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