March 19, 2021

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,

 We would like to share with you important information regarding MCA testing that is scheduled to start at the high school in April.  The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and alternate assessment, Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS), are the statewide tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  Most students take the MCAs, but students who receive special education services and meet eligibility criteria may take the MTAS.  The MCAs are administered in-person and online to high school students in 10th and 11th grades.  While MCAs are not timed, most students generally complete testing in 3-4 hours. 

In-person students will complete their MCA tests, over multiple days, in their regular English, math, and science classes.  It is very important that students maintains good attendance on the following testing dates:

For BL Online students, participation in the MCAs does require students to test on site.  BL Online students will test in one setting reporting to school at 8:00 am on the following dates:

It is essential that students do the best they can on all statewide assessments.  We use the data from these assessments to determine placement in course offerings and identify students who may benefit from enrichment or intervention.  If your student would like to do some additional practice at home, use this link to access the MCA item samplers.

In 2016 the Minnesota legislation enabled college students to be placed into college-level courses based on their high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) scores. For students who attended a Minnesota high school and enroll in Minnesota State colleges and universities, scores from the grade 10 MCA Reading assessment and grade 11 MCA Math assessment will be used in the course placement process. Please see the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities website for more information.

For more information about state testing, please visit the Minnesota Department of Education website.  If you have questions regarding any of the above information, please do not hesitate to email Mrs. Folch.

Sincerely,     

Robert J. Dockendorf, Principal

Angela J. Charboneau-Folch, Assistant Principal