Minnesota students will need to take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, commonly known as the MCAs, in person. There will not be an option to administer the test remotely.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced today that without further direction or instruction from the federal government, Minnesota is bound by federal and state law to administer the MCA as it has in the past. The online Reading, Mathematics, and Science MCAs will be administered in person at school for spring 2021.
Administering 2020–21 statewide assessments will require MDE and Minnesota districts and charter schools to undergo additional preparation and develop creative solutions.
To balance the school year 2020–21 assessment data collection needs with district responsibilities, MDE is stressing administration flexibility, creative problem solving, and active district-family engagement to ensure that as many assessment experiences as possible can be safely administered.
While only in-person administrations will be available, the EXC (extenuating circumstances) test codes, as previously communicated, will be available for students, families and schools that are unable to be assessed due to health and safety concerns.
In addition, MDE is exploring flexibility with the U.S. Department of Education for accountability calculations and public reporting for this year.
