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An update from Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Sept. 9, 2026
Important Dates
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. 25: Deadline to request score appeals, transcription requests, test booklet searches, or data corrections for WIDA assessments
Sept. 30: Public release of final assessment and accountability results on MDE website; ISRs arrive in districts
No later than Oct. 1: Post district testing calendar to website
Quick Links
In preparation for the 2026-27 test administration, Pearson will provide a structured training series covering its new testing platforms, LaunchPad and ADAM, to ensure District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) are prepared for spring testing. Pearson will begin the training series with a high-level overview of LaunchPad and ADAM on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 9-10 a.m. This training will also preview upcoming trainings and important dates for test administration. The registration link for the training will be provided in a future Assessment Update. To review Pearson’s complete training plan, refer to the Upcoming Pearson Trainings document on the Training page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub.
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As we move toward statewide implementation of the Minnesota Kindergarten Fall Assessment (MnKFA) in fall 2027, this section of the Assessment Update will provide important updates and information about this assessment. Updates will include relevant timelines, resources, implementation information, and other details to help districts and charter schools prepare for the MnKFA.
As with other statewide assessments, MDE will rely on District Assessment Coordinators (DACs) to be the primary point of contact for MnKFA communication. Each district or charter school will determine locally who is responsible for MnKFA-related tasks, and DACs are not required by MDE to be the district staff charged with those duties. However, DACs will receive important MnKFA updates through the Assessment Update and other DAC communications, and they are expected to share the information with the appropriate staff within their district or charter school.
For more information, visit the MnKFA website or email mnkfa.mde@state.mn.us with any questions.
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Districts are required to post a comprehensive testing calendar on the district website; this information may also be posted on school-level websites if the district chooses. The calendar must be published at least one week prior to any eligible assessments being administered, but no later than Oct. 1.
Districts may choose how to display the information (for example, in a chart or a calendar format), but it should be presented in a way that is easy for the public to access. Core requirements for the information that must be included on the district testing calendar have not changed and are detailed in Chapter 6 of the Procedures Manual.
If a district has not yet established specific dates when students will be testing, MDE recommends using previous years’ timeframes as a starting place and then updating them as testing schedules are known or changed. Districts are responsible for updating their posted testing calendar throughout the school year in a timely manner.
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Please review this information provided by the MDE Literacy Unit. Questions about Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act screening requirements can be addressed to the READ Act inbox (MDE.READAct@state.mn.us).
Grades K-3
The Minnesota READ Act (Minnesota Statutes 2025, section 120B.12, subdivision 2) requires districts and charter schools to universally screen students in grades K-3 for foundational reading skills and characteristics of dyslexia with an MDE-approved screening tool. The required subtests for grades K-3 for school year 2026-27 can be found on The READ Act: K-3 Universal Literacy and Dyslexia Screening Guidance webpage.
The required literacy subtests remain the same with the following exceptions:
- The Nonsense Word subtest in grades 2 and 3 is now required for all students in all three screening windows.
Oral language screening requirement:
- Grades K-1:
- Required for all students in fall.
- Screen in winter if student’s score is below benchmark in fall.
- Screen in spring if student’s score is below benchmark in winter.
- Grade 2: For school year 2026-27 only, all students will be administered the Oral Language subtest in fall due to no grade 1 Oral Language subtest data.
Grades 4-12
In addition to the requirements to conduct universal literacy and dyslexia screening in grades K-3, the Minnesota READ Act requires districts and charter schools to screen students in grades 4-12 who are not reading at grade level for reading difficulties, including characteristics of dyslexia, with a screening tool approved by MDE. This requirement includes multilingual learners and students receiving special education services.
The MDE approved screening tool for grades 4-12 is Capti ReadBasix. Students must be screened with all six subtests of Capti ReadBasix.
There are two options for screening implementation in grades 4-12. Districts may choose a one-step screening process or a two-step screening process.
Option A: One-Step Screening Process
In this one-step screening process, all students are screened with Capti ReadBasix to simultaneously determine students not reading at grade level and to screen for reading difficulties, including characteristics of dyslexia. This method requires the purchase of only one screening tool.
Option B: Two-Step Screening Process
Step 1: Determine which students are not reading at grade level in a locally determined manner using a valid and reliable, standardized tool (such as DIBELS, FastBridge, or the open access tool ROAR from Stanford University; refer to the Screening page of MDE’s website for more details).
Screening for reading difficulties, including characteristics of dyslexia, in grades 4-12 is required for any student who has not consistently demonstrated grade-level reading skills. If the student demonstrates any potential reading difficulties, screening must be completed with Capti ReadBasix.
Step 2: Students identified as not reading at grade level in Step 1 are administered all six subtests of the MDE approved 4-12 dyslexia screener, Capti ReadBasix.
Students not reading at grade level must continue to receive evidence-based instruction, interventions and progress monitoring until the student achieves grade-level proficiency.
Rostering Requirements
Minnesota READ Act requires that district Local Literacy Plan submissions include student data for students in K-3, students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia, and students in grades 4-12 who are identified as not reading at grade level.
MDE requires the following information be included in the READ Act data submission as part of the 2026-27 Local Literacy Plan, regardless of whether the vendor or the district submits the data to MDE.
Required Rostering of District and School Information
- Complete district name, as it appears in the MDE Organization Reference Glossary (MDE-ORG)
- For example, Gopherville Public School District
- 4-digit district number (missing leading zeros is acceptable)
- Complete name for all schools, as they appear in MDE-ORG
- For example, Goldie Elementary
- 3-digit school number for all schools (missing leading zeros is acceptable)
District and school names should not use abbreviations or acronyms unless this is how the names are listed in MDE-ORG. This information can be verified on the MDE-ORG website.
If there is not a location in the screener account settings for a separate district or school number, as is the case for FastBridge, this data must be entered into the name fields in the following format:
- District Name Field: Complete District Name - XXXX (For example, Gopherville Public School District – 0111)
- School Name Field: Complete School Name - XXX (For example, Goldie Elementary – 010)
Required Rostering of Student Personally Identifiable Information
- 13-digit State Student ID (SSID) or MARSS number for each student screened (missing leading zeros is acceptable and the district must ensure the number does not revert to scientific notation)
- Full First Name
- Full Last Name
- Gender
- Birthdate (DOB)
MDE uses these five data points to validate students’ information to ensure data is linked to the correct student.
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2026-27 Alternate Assessment Chat and Connect Series
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 meet with MDE Alternate Assessment Specialists to give feedback, ask questions, and connect with other special education staff from across the state.
Join us via Zoom for the first session on Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 4-5 p.m. Please register for the Alt Assessment Chat and Connect. In October we will discuss the Reading and Science Alt MCA Student Readiness Tools, hear about the feedback Test Administrators gave on the 2026 Alt MCA, and see examples of the Reading and Science Individual Student Reports (ISRs) to be released this fall.
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 2026-27 dates are Oct. 14, Nov. 12, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12. For more information, contact ALT.Assessment.MDE@state.mn.us.
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Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment
Minnesota Department of Education
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