Assessments

Structured Assessment Model

Assessment is a systematic process of monitoring student learning, informing instructional decisions, and ensuring accountability. Assessments helps educators understand what students know and can do, identify areas for improvement, and tailor instructional strategies to meet individual needs.

The District 196 model has four main types of assessments:

• Universal screening efficiently determines the effectiveness of instructional practices and identifies students who may require additional support.
• Diagnostic assessments determine student strengths and skill gaps along with provide insights into instruction and curriculum that impact learning.
• Progress monitoring measures student responsiveness and growth rate as well as evaluates the effectiveness of interventions.
• Outcome assessments evaluate how well students learned the intended learning goals.

Assessment Calendar

The district assessment calendar is organized by school level: elementary (PreK-5), middle (6-8), and high (9-12) school. The district assessment calendar includes date ranges. Each school has an assessment calendar with specific test dates.

District Assessment Calendar

Link to School Assessment Calendars

Minnesota Statewide Assessments

Minnesota’s statewide assessments give educators, school districts and state education leaders information in context that they can use to make decisions about education. Educators and schools use the information to help guide instruction and better support students. The state and members of the public can use the data to focus on the important goal of providing equitable opportunities for all students across the state. 

For Minnesota’s statewide assessments to reflect the full impact of district- and state-level implementation of the applicable standards, as well as district-level success at teaching the standards, it is important for all Minnesota students to take the statewide tests. The impact of this data spans the state, impacts each district, and demonstrates clear trends across time. The data on today’s third grade students, for example, helps us understand those same students learning in fifth, ninth, and twelfth grade. Also, today’s third grade students help us understand every third-grade class for years to come, and whether changes to curriculum, efforts toward equity, and emphasis on inclusion make a substantial difference to our students. In addition, English learners must take the WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS to exit English language instruction. Without these test scores, students will continue to receive English learner services.

The parent/guardian refusal form must be submitted to the school in writing before the first scheduled day of testing every school year. See the posted assessment calendar on the school’s website for specific dates.

• Parent/Guardian Participation Guide and Refusal Information - English
• Additional testing resources and translated versions of the participation guide and refusal information are available on the MDE website
   

Helpful links

• Student Readiness Tools - resources used to familiarize students and educators with the online and paper MCAs and Alternate MCAs. In each SRT, students will learn how to navigate within the test, use tools and test supports, and indicate answers to different types of questions.

• Minnesota Report Card - access to district and school results in an understandable way.

Types of assessments

There are two main types of assessments; formative and summative:

• Formative assessment happens during the learning process and is often referred to as the assessment for learning. Formative assessment is used to diagnose student needs and plan instruction to meet every student’s individual needs. Feedback is provided to students while working on a test or project to improve learning.
• Summative assessment happens at the end of the learning process and is often referred to as the assessment of learning. It is used to measure the achievement on a completed task, project or course. Summative assessments are generally used for reporting.

Elementary report cards

A report card is one component of a communication system between home and school. It’s purpose is to communicate a student’s achievement, behavior, and effort based on district grade level expectations and standards at designated times throughout the year. Please confer with your child’s teacher if you have questions or comments.

• Examples of elementary report cards for kindergarten through grade 5

MARKING CODE DESCRIPTORS

• Content areas [Spanish]
• Language Arts [Spanish]
• Mathematics [Spanish]
• Specialist Areas [Spanish]
• Work Habits and Social Skills [Spanish]

Why do we have multiple assessments?

Each of the components in the district's balanced assessment program contributes to a more complete understanding of each student and together these assessments help to monitor student progress and guide instruction in every classroom. A variety of assessments are important to answer different questions about each individual student. Data collected from assessments, when used properly, lead to improved achievement.

ASSESSMENTS ARE ONE TOOL USED TO:

• Identify student achievement levels and skill performance; and students who may benefit from intervention and enrichment programs.
• Measure student learning.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of our educational system; student knowledge and skills relative to Minnesota Academic Standards; and educational innovations and curriculum.
• Improve Instruction to guide efforts to adapt instruction to the needs and abilities of students by assisting in setting educational priorities for groups or individual students.
• Report to students, parents, teachers, district staff, school board, and community members; and to provide information on student achievement.