Students assessments are upon us, help your child prepare

Students in Chisago Lakes Area Schools are assessed with two testing measures in the spring: NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA).

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments are used to measure academic growth, to guide teachers lesson planning as they see which skills may need re-teaching, and for course placement. MAP tests present students with engaging, age-appropriate content. As a student responds to questions, the test responds to the student, adjusting up or down in difficulty. Students are assessed in both reading and math.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCAs) are the state assessments that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and also meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The list below shows the test and corresponding grades. -Reading in grades 3-8, 10 -Mathematics in grades 3-8, 11 -Science in grades 5, 8, 11 In the fall, you will receive an individual student report for the MCAs. This document will report your child’s overall score in each subject, as well as scores for specific skill areas within each subject. It will also include information about achievement level, comparisons to various groups, and comparisons to the student’s performance in past years, when applicable. To help your child prepare for these assessments:

•Provide students with a consistent study area.
•Encourage students to practice good study habits. Students should set aside time every day for homework.
•Have students get a good night’s sleep and eat a nutritious breakfast before taking a test.
•On the day of the tests, students should clearly read each question and if stuck, re-read. With multiple-choice questions, students should use the process of elimination.
•Encourage students to answer all test questions. Minnesota’s MCA results are now reported as a Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR), which replaced the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) system as part of the state’s waiver to the federal No Child Left Behind law.

The MMR consists of four measures: proficiency, growth, achievement gap reduction, and graduation rate. All public schools in the state receive an MMR score, which is represented as a percentage calculated from the points schools earn for the four measures. Within each of these four areas, schools earn points based on their rank compared to other schools in Minnesota. As a result, small differences in student scores can cause large changes in rank and the number of points a school earns in any one area. Principals and teachers will meet this fall to review the MCA, MAP, and MMR scores. They will identify the strengths and weaknesses of students at each school, personalize instruction, and discuss ways to increase the achievement of each student. If you have any questions regarding testing and assessments, please contact Director of Curriculum, Sarah Schmidt at 213-2005.