MINNESOTA COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind. The reading and mathematics tests are used to determine whether schools and districts have made adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward all students being proficient in 2014. Science is required for No Child Left Behind but is not included in AYP calculations at this time.

All students in grades 3-8 take the reading and math test. A reading MCA is given in grade 10 and a math MCA is given in grade 11. Science tests are given in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, depending on when students complete their life sciences curriculum.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
Our school uses Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to provide teachers and families with an ongoing record of student progress. MAP are electronically administered and scored achievement tests designed to measure growth for individual students, classrooms, schools, and districts. While most tests simply provide scores that compare and rank students and schools, the MAP tests provide growth information that is vital in classrooms faced with helping students meet rigorous standards. The MAP tests are aligned to Minnesota Academic Standards. All students will take the MAP tests.

Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test (NNAT)
The Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test (NNAT) is a nonverbal measure of school learning ability that is related to classroom achievement. It is designed to assess ability without requiring students to read, write or speak. Teachers use the information from the NNAT as they plan for the individual needs of each learner. The NNAT is given in January to all kindergarten and second grade students.

Diagnostic Reading Assessment
In order for teachers to clearly understand each student’s unique needs and abilities, they have to carefully observe what students are doing in the classroom. Teachers also need a clear understanding of what students are expected to know and be able to do throughout their elementary years. Diagnostic Reading Assessment includes everyday observations, standardized test results, and careful classroom reading checks that help a teacher know how well each student is learning. Harambee School staff members consider multiple sources of information when assessing our students’ reading development, and teachers use this information to make sure instruction is close to each child’s current level of development. In this way, we can guarantee that every student in the school is getting the best possible fit between our teaching and each student’s particular needs.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS TESTS

The following are Minnesota’s current statewide assessments for English language learners:

Test of Emerging Academic English (TEAE)
The TEAE is a reading and writing language proficiency test for English language learners in grades 3-12. It was designed to assess progress in acquiring the academic English language. For K-2 learners, reading and writing is assessed with a teacher observation rating.

Minnesota Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (MN SOLOM)
The MN SOLOM is a teacher observation matrix that assesses the listening and speaking skills of K-12 English language learners.

The Mathematics Test for English Language Learners (MTELL)
The MTELL is a computer-delivered mathematics test in grades 3-8 and 11 with simplified English that reduces the confounding effects of language on mathematics performance. Students may listen to test items as well as read them. Pictures and diagrams help students understand the language in the test items. The MTELL assesses the same grade level academic standards as the MCA-IIs.

The MTELL will be retired at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. The lessons learned from developing the language-accessible MTELL will be applied to the third series of the MCA (MCA-III) which becomes operational in the 2010-2011 school year.