Standardized Testing Information

The Practice EXPLORE (grade 8) is the first of three timed college readiness assessments students within the district have the opportunity to take.  The other assessments include the PreACT (grade 10) and ACT (grade 11/12).  ACT test scores are widely used for college entrance and placement decisions.  At Mounds View High School all junior students participate in an ACT administration for FREE during the school day.  The EXPLORE emulates the ACT testing experience by providing students early exposure to ACT like questions, around 8th grade content, under similar timing conditions.  Students take four achievement subject tests in the areas of Reading, Math, English, and Science.  Students are allowed 30 minutes to complete each test.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) are state tests in reading, mathematics, and science that are used to meet federal and state legislative requirements.  The tests are administered in mathematics and reading every year in middle school and is administered in science in grade 8.  The MCAs are designed to measure student performance relative to the Minnesota Academic Standards that specify what students in a particular grade should know and be able to do.  

Helpful links:

• MCA FAQ
  This document address key questions regarding the MCA, including how to prepare for the assessment
• Parent/Guardian Guide & Refusal for Student Participation in the MCAs
  Read this document carefully and submit it to your student’s dean prior to the start of testing.

The NWEA MAP Growth (formerly known as the MAP test) is a assessment that measures each students individual growth from year to year.  The assessment is given in math and reading classes each year in middle school.  The test is adaptive.  Meaning, question are pulled from a very large test question bank and the questions asked are influenced by previous answers..  Students will only be able to answer roughly 50% of the questions correctly, the purpose of this is to specifically determine the students current level of performance and growth from year-to-year. To opt out of the assessment(s) parents/guardians must contact their student’s dean in writing prior to the assessment.

Helpful links:

• MAP Growth Fact Sheet
  This document provides detailed information regarding the MAP Growth assessment
• MAP Growth Warm Up
  This webpage provides students and parents/guardians the opportunity to review what the online assessment looks like