As our school prepares for our students to begin the MCA Testing, it is important that our families are well informed about how to prepare their students for a successful testing experience. The MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) is administered statewide to all students in Grades 3-8. All students in grades 3-8 will take part in the Reading & Math sections, while only students in Grades 5 & 8 will take part in the Science sections.
WHY ARE THE MCAS IMPORTANT? When your student takes the MCA, it helps our school see how well our teaching, support, and programs are working for all our students. The more students who participate, the more information we have to make informed decisions about how to use our finances, staff, and resources to support every student’s learning.
MCA SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 14th & Wednesday, April 15th: Reading (Grades 3-8)
Tuesday, April 21st & Wednesday, April 22nd: Math (Grades 3-8)
Tuesday, April 27th & Wednesday, April 28th: Science (Grade 5 & 8 Only)
TIPS FOR SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD TO DO THEIR BEST ON THE MCA:
Make sure your child gets at least 8 hours of sleep the night before the test.
Encourage your child to try his/her best on every question. We know our kids have learned a lot this year - now is their chance to show off what they’ve learned!
Help your child brainstorm strategies to reduce feeling stressed or anxious about the test. Work with them on strategies they can use during the test if they start to feel frustrated or anxious.
Make sure your child comes to school on time on all testing days.
CELL PHONES & TECHNOLOGY POLICY DURING TESTING
To ensure our school is compliant with testing requirements and to avoid disruptions, cell phones and wearable technology will not be available during testing periods. To uphold the integrity of the testing environment, we will be collecting all cellphones and wearable tech during school hours and then returning them to students at the end of the testing period during the MCA Testing Timeline from April 14th through April 29th.
If you have any questions about MCA testing, please contact our front office team at 612-287-9700.