MCA Information and Resources

This page provides key information and resources to help educators understand what the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) measure, how they are structured, and how test questions reflect the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards. Throughout this page, the term “item(s)” refers to individual test question(s). 

Students take the MCAs in the grade and subject for which they are enrolled. The MCAs are criterion-referenced assessments that measure student learning of the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in reading, math, and science. For more information about which students take the MCAs and Alternate MCAs (Alt MCAs) assessments, visit the Testing 1, 2, 3 Statewide Assessments page. To learn more about the Alt MCAs and MTAS, including who participates and how they are administered, visit the Testing 1, 2, 3 Alternate Assessments page.

How the MCAs and Alt MCAs Are Developed
The MCAs are developed through a continuous, multi‑step process involving educators, content experts, and community members. Committees review items, evaluate alignment to the academic standards, and ensure assessments are culturally affirming and reflective of Minnesota’s diverse student population.

This collaborative process supports the development of high‑quality, fair, and meaningful assessments that provide valid information about student learning. For an overview of the full test development cycle, from standards revision through scoring and reporting, download the How the MCAs and Alt MCAs are Created one-pager.

Interested in participating in a committee? Visit the Join an MCA/Alternate MCA Review Committee page on the MDE website to learn how to register and participate in test development. 

Online MCA Format
The online MCAs are a combination of adaptive assessments and fixed-form assessments. Adaptive assessments adjust item or passage difficulty based on student responses, meaning each student's test experience may differ depending on how they respond. For the Reading MCA, difficulty adjusts by passage set, where a reading passage and its associated items are scored together before the next set is selected. For the Math MCA, difficulty adjusts after each individual item. Fixed-form assessments, like the Science MCA, deliver the same items to all students.

Online Assessment Overview Table

Subject Format Item Delivery Student Experience
Reading Adaptive Passage sets Difficulty adjusts based on previous responses 
Mathematics Adaptive Independent math items Difficulty adjusts based on previous responses 
Science Fixed form Phenomena and simulations All students receive the same items

Item Types
Across subjects, the MCAs include multiple‑choice and technology‑enhanced items. The Science MCA also includes constructed‑response items, where students answer a question by writing a response. Technology‑enhanced items may include:

  •  Type-in answers (numbers or text)
  •  Graphing or plotting (students create graphs or displays)
  •  Drag-and-drop (students build responses dragging  provided options to a specific placement)
  •  Hot-spot (students select multiple correct responses or mark locations on a graphic) 

The MCAs also include a small number of field test items embedded throughout the assessment. Field test items do not count toward a student's score. They are used to evaluate questions that are being considered for future MCAs.

To explore released MCA items by subject, grade, and question type, visit the Minnesota Questions Tool page.

Online Tools and Supports
Multiple tools and accessibility supports are embedded within the online testing environment. Available tools may vary based on grade level and subject. Math and Science MCAs include access to online calculators. Math MCAs also include Exhibits, which provides formula sheets and/or mathematics tables depending on the grade level and type of item. Standalone versions of the online calculators, formula sheets, and mathematics tables are available on the Student Tools and Supports page of the Minnesota Assessment Hub. If applicable, these resources can be used during testing as well as during daily instruction. Guidance and instruction resources are included on this page as well.

Accommodations and Universal Supports
Accommodations and universal supports are available for students who need them. Universal supports are general supports available to all students that tailor the testing experience based on individual needs or preferences, and include things like administration considerations and accessibility supports. Accommodations are changes in the way the test is administered and are available for students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. Accommodations should be documented annually in the student's IEP or 504 plan before testing begins. Students who are unable to access the online MCA may be eligible to test using a paper format, which is documented as an accommodation. 

Student Readiness Tools (SRTs)

SRT Image

The Student Readiness Tools (SRTs) are tools that can help students and educators become familiar with the online testing environment. They focus exclusively on the functionality of the test and types of questions, not academic content.

The SRTs help students will learn how to:

  • Navigate within the online test environment
  • Use online tools and supports
  • Respond to different question types. 

If students are comfortable with the format of the test, they are better prepared during testing to demonstrate what they know and can do related to the academic standards. The best preparation for students is grade-level instruction aligned to those same standards. The SRTs are not practice tests and do not predict performance on the MCAs or Alt MCAs.

SRTs are available in online and paper formats, including large print and braille. For more information about how to use the SRTs in the classroom, visit the Student Readiness Tools page on the Minnesota Assessment Hub to access educator guides and supplemental information.  

Test Specifications and Performance Descriptors

Test specifications describe the blueprint for each MCA, including reporting categories, item proportions, and design features. They are designed to increase transparency about how assessments are designed, but are not intended to guide curriculum or instruction. Some concepts in the academic standards can only be assessed in the classroom, not on a standardized statewide assessment. 

Test specifications also reference Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, which describe the cognitive complexity of each item. Minnesota uses Norman Webb’s DOK framework, which has four levels: DOK 1 (Recall), DOK 2 (Skill/Concept), DOK 3 (Strategic Thinking), and DOK IV (Extended Thinking). DOK levels 1-3 are assessed on the MCAs. DOK level 4 requires extended time and complexity and is best assessed in the classroom.

Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) communicate the knowledge and skills described in the academic standards that students demonstrate at each performance level (Beginning, Intermediate, Meets, and Advanced) on the Reading and Science MCA‑IV. PLDs clarify expected learning outcomes and support educators in interpreting student results. Students performing at “Meets” and “Advanced” are considered proficient.
PLDs serve several purposes, including:

  •  Helping educators and families interpret student test scores.
  •  Supporting instructional planning and professional learning as educators implement academic standards.
  •  Clarifying the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate at each performance level.
  •  Informing the standards setting process used to establish performance level cut scores.

Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) describe the general knowledge and skills from grade‑level standards that students demonstrate at each achievement level (Does Not Meet, Partially Meets, Meets, and Exceeds the Standards) on the Mathematics MCA‑III. Students performing at the “Meets” and “Exceeds” level are considered proficient. 

ALDs appear on student score reports and help educators and families interpret assessment results. Translated ALDs are available on the Achievement Level Descriptors page. 

 

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