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District 196 previews spring assessments and sets multi‑year targets under new CACR framework
Summary
Directors outlined spring testing (MCA/MTAS, FastBridge, i‑Ready, MAP, ACT) and presented Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) goals, including targets for kindergarten readiness, MCA proficiency, ACT college‑readiness and graduation rates.
District 196 officials briefed the board Feb. 10 on spring assessments and annual targets under the state’s Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) rules, explaining which tests students will take and the district’s three‑year performance goals.
What tests students will take Directors Jeremy Sorensen and Eric Hansen described the district’s spring assessment calendar: state summative tests (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, MCA, and MTAS for students with significant cognitive disabilities), universal screeners (FastBridge K–6/6), diagnostics (i‑Ready math at elementary), MAP screeners at the secondary level, the ACCESS English‑language proficiency assessment for multilingual learners, and grade‑level college‑readiness tests (PreACT for 10th grade; ACT provided at no charge to 11th graders). AP exams and bilingual seals were also noted for eligible students.
CACR goals and rationale Rachel Hughes presented district CACR goals (set to follow a 3‑percentage‑point annual improvement guideline used by MDE): - Kindergarten readiness (FastBridge Early Reading benchmark): from 60.2% in Fall 2023 to 63.3% in Fall 2024 (three‑year goal 69.3%). The district reported 62.1% met the fall benchmark this year. - MCA reading proficiency (grades 3–8 and 10): target from 57.2% in 2024 to 60.2% in 2025. - MCA math proficiency (grades 3–8 and 11): target from 55.0% in 2024 to 58.0% in 2025. - ACT college‑readiness: percentage of 11th graders meeting a composite benchmark score of 21 targeted to rise from 47.1% in 2024 to 50.1% in 2025. The district emphasized use of PreACT for tenth graders and ACT prep courses at some sites. - Four‑year graduation rate: an increase from 88.7% (class of 2023) to a projected 91.3% in 2024; official MDE data for the class of 2024 will be released next month.
Supports and measurement Hughes cited curriculum rollouts (new elementary literacy and math curricula, i‑Ready and district MAP adoption work), use of FastBridge as a Read Act‑approved screener, and school‑level MTSS processes to identify interventions. She noted CACR’s new emphasis on lifelong learning and said the district will collaborate with partners to define metrics for that goal in 2025–26.
Disaggregated data and achievement gaps Hughes said the district will continue to disaggregate outcomes by MDE categories to monitor gaps; the Integration and Achievement Plan and site MTSS work were cited as the vehicles for building targeted supports such as AVID and increased access to rigorous coursework.
Ending Officials asked questions about data sources and next steps for communicating results; the district will bring additional assessment results after spring testing is complete and will continue to refine metrics for the new lifelong‑learning CACR goal.
