Dear Athlos Families,
We approach that time of year again where spring (hopefully!) is in the air as well as statewide assessments. I find that parents and students experience more confidence in the assessment process when they better understand its purpose and expected outcomes. The information below is provided to answer your questions about what MCA assessments are and why we administer them to our students. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) are state tests in mathematics, reading and science that meet the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA.) They are given every year to measure student performance against the Minnesota Academic Standards that specify what students in a particular grade should know and be able to do.
Participation in these assessments is also important to your school as a whole. MCA results are used to determine school and district accountability, which are used in turn to help identify schools that need additional support as well as to recognize schools that are demonstrating high performance. If students do not participate in the assessments, the data for the district and school may be inaccurate and adversely affect the school, even making it ineligible for Celebration and Reward school recognition.
Athlos will start testing in April. Please review the assessment calendar so you know when your child’s grade is testing. Your child’s teacher will let you know the exact times and locations for their assessments.
In order for your child to do his or her best here are a few things that you can do to ensure that they are prepared for testing:
- Make sure that your child has a good night’s sleep. 8 hours is recommended.
- A good protein-filled breakfast before coming to school.
- Encourage them to do their best and answer all the questions.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher and they can provide you with more information.
Sincerely,
Katie Jacobson
Technology Coordinator
Athlos Academy of St. Cloud
