Teaching & Learning

Jordan Schools uses multiple assessments to measure student success. The results of the tests and assessments students take are used in a variety of ways, including:

• Instructional Planning: Results are used by teachers to help plan instruction and monitor progress.
• Differentiation: Results are used by teachers to identify the need for differentiated instruction—how different students need to be taught in different ways.
• Placement: Results are used as one of the criteria for participation in programs and classes (for example, Advanced Math options).
• School Improvement: Results are used by schools and the district to evaluate programs and plan improvements.
• Accountability: Results are used by the district as an accountability measurement and/or to fulfill the requirements of state and federal legislation.
• College and Career Readiness: Results are used to indicate readiness for post-secondary success and inform course selection and career interests.

Jordan Schools is committed to each student to learn continuously, to eliminate achievement disparities, and to determine a process for assessing student learning. The assessments currently used by the district include:

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and alternate assessment, Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS), are the statewide tests that help measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Students take one test in each subject. Most students take the MCA, but students who receive special education services and meet eligibility criteria may take the MTAS. Additional information and resources are available on the Minnesota PearsonAccess Next website.

These assessments are given to students in Grades 3–11 and consist of the following content areas:

• Reading for Grades 3–8 and 10 (approximately 2.5–3.5 hours),
• Mathematics for Grades 3–8 and 11 (approximately 1.5–2.5 hours), and
• Science for Grades 5, 8, and 10 (approximately 1.5–2.0 hours).

Understanding MCA Scale Scores

The ACCESS for ML students and Alternate ACCESS for MLs are assessments developed by the WIDA consortium and administered to English learners to measure progress toward Minnesota’s standards for English language development. Most English learners take the ACCESS for MLs, but those receiving special education services may take the Alternate ACCESS. More information is available on the WIDA website.

This assessment is used for students in Grades K–12 and covers four domains:

• Listening (approximately 40 minutes),
• Reading (approximately 35 minutes),
• Speaking (approximately 35 minutes), and
• Writing (approximately 60 minutes). Each domain is assessed on separate days.

Used in Grades K–8 for universal screening and progress monitoring. FastBridge supports a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, promoting data-based decisions across instruction levels. Universal screening is scheduled three times per year (fall, winter, spring) to track growth and identify intervention needs. Progress monitoring is ongoing for students requiring additional support.

The PreACT is a required graduation assessment for Grade 10 students. It evaluates achievement in Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science, and includes an interest inventory and needs assessment. A Composite Score (range 1–32) summarizes academic performance. Learn more on the ACT PreACT page. This assessment is approximately 3 hours in length.

The ACT Plus Writing is required for Grade 11 students. It assesses readiness for post-secondary education and includes a Composite Score (range 1–36), interest inventory, and optional writing section. Additional information is available on the ACT website. This assessment is approximately 4 hours in length.

Administered in the fall of junior year, the ASVAB measures aptitude across eight areas: general science, arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, mathematics knowledge, electronics information, auto and shop information, and mechanical comprehension. It also includes an interest inventory for career exploration. Students intending to enter the military will receive a Military Entrance Score used for eligibility.

Parents/guardians have a right to not have their student participate in state-required standardized assessments. Minnesota statute requires that districts provide information about statewide assessments to parents/guardians and include a form to complete if they refuse to have their student participate. The form is available below in English and Spanish.

Why does participation matter?

A statewide assessment is just one measure of your child's achievement, but your student's participation is important to understand how effectively the education at Jordan Public Schools is aligned to the academic standards.

• In Minnesota's implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, a student not participating in the statewide assessments will be counted as "not proficient" for the purposes of school and district accountability, including opportunities for support and recognition.
• Students who receive a college-ready score on the high school MCA are not required to take a remedial, noncredit course at a Minnesota State college or university in the corresponding subject area, potentially saving time and money.
• Educators and policy makers use information from assessments to make decisions about resources and support provided.
• Parents and the general public use assessment information to compare schools and make decisions about where to purchase a home or to enroll their children.
• School performance results that are publicly released and used by families and communities are negatively impacted if students do not participate in assessments.

If you have additional questions, please contact Erin Hjelmeland, Director of Teaching and Learning at 952-492-4486 or ehjelmeland@isd717.org.

MCA Parent Refusal Form

Under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.11 (amended), school districts are to develop a Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (formerly known as the World’s Best Workforce) Annual Report. This report highlights ways that school districts in Minnesota enhance student achievement through teaching and learning supports. The report focuses on school district established student achievement goals, the strategies and initiatives that the district engaged in to meet the goals, and the subsequent progress made on those goals by the end of the school year. Districts will post their reports on the district website, and submit the summary report to The Minnesota Department of Education each year.

What is Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness?

The original World’s Best Workforce legislation was passed in 2013 to ensure every school district in the state is making strides to increase student performance. This legislation was amended in 2024 to focus on Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness. Each district must develop a plan that addresses the following five goals:

• All children are ready for school.
• All racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed.
• All students are ready for a career and college.
• All students graduate from high school.
• All students are prepared to be lifelong learners.

2024–2025 District Approved Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness Plan

The purpose of the Achievement and Integration for Minnesota program is to pursue racial and economic integration, increase student achievement, create equitable educational opportunities, and reduce academic disparities based on students' diverse racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds in Minnesota public schools.

Eligibility

Districts eligible to participate in this program include those required to submit an Achievement and Integration plan under Minnesota School Desegregation/Integration Rules 3535.0100–0180 and those districts with a collaborative plan on file with the commissioner during FY 2013.

Currently, 134 school districts receive funding from this program. Participation is determined by the number of protected-class students relative to the number of protected-class students in adjoining districts or schools based on October 1 enrollment.

Districts are required to develop a Local Literacy Plan to ensure that all students are reading well by no later than the end of third grade. This plan addresses the 3rd grade reading proficiency objective of districts’ World’s Best Workforce plans (Minn. Stat. § 120B.11). This collection of pages provides guidance, resources, and self-assessment checklists to assist efforts to understand and meet the demands of early reading intervention and the requirements of “Reading Well by Third Grade” (Minn. Stat. § 120B.12).

Jordan Public Schools is dedicated to high levels of student achievement. The quality of Jordan curriculum and instruction is evidenced by the continuing success of our students and graduates. These successes include local and state academic assessments as well as honors earned and post-secondary achievements.

Across Jordan Public Schools in all subject areas and grade levels, a variety of strategies and processes are in place in order to ensure instructional staff and administrators are focusing on proven best-practice strategies to ensure all students are kindergarten ready, all students can read by grade three, reduction of the achievement gap between all student groups, ensure students are career and college ready, and that students graduate from high school. This curricular focus also aligns with Jordan's World's Best Workforce strategic plan.

In Jordan, high quality curriculum is the product of a continuous review and improvement cycle that uses student data, national and state standards, professional literature, and research. The curriculum aligns state standards to classroom instruction using an understanding by design framework based on the research of experts such as Grant Wiggins, Jay McTighe, and Robert Marzano. In Jordan, grades reflect student learning, which is tied to the determined academic standards, and evidence of learning is communicated through a traditional grading system.

Jordan Public Schools uses its curriculum and program review system to not only review curriculum and program areas but to also provide continuous improvement for teaching and learning in the district. As a part of the review process, the district will gather input from a variety of stakeholders including the staff, administration, school board, and the community while making programming decisions. The process is flexible, enabling the district to respond to the many rapidly changing areas in education such as alignment with standards, technology, and new or innovative ideas related to 21st century learning.

The review process is divided into two cycles:

• As Needed Formal Program Review Cycle
• An Implementation and Continuous Improvement Cycle

The Program Review Cycle has Three Phases

• Program Evaluation: This phase helps stakeholders understand how instruction and curriculum compares with current research-based practices and expectations.
• Program Design: This phase focuses on K–12 alignment with district curriculum outcomes and Minnesota state standards, student assessments, and instructional strategies.
• Implementation Plan and Purchase: This phase encompasses material recommendations for the district to purchase and develop an implementation plan.

Implementation and Continuous Improvement

The implementation and continuous improvement cycle is an ongoing process of evaluating how well a program is being implemented and determining whether the program is meeting intended outcomes.

Installation > Early Implementation > Sustainability

September 13, 2024

Return all required forms/documentation to the District Office at 500 Sunset Drive; Suite 1, Jordan, MN 55352. This includes the Letter of Intent to Continue to Provide Instruction or Initial Registration Form and the Student Report for Aids to Non‐Public Students if requesting financial aid.

October 31, 2024

Use the online ordering form from the University of Minnesota for fall testing materials. This testing opportunity is optional.

January 7, 2025

Contact Erin Hjelmeland at 952-492-4486 or ehjelmeland@isd717.org if your child wishes to participate in the state MCA assessments.

April 30, 2025

Use the online ordering form from the University of Minnesota for spring testing materials. This testing is mandatory if fall testing was not completed.

May 1, 2025

Send all receipts to the District Office to claim final reimbursements for 2022–23 testing and instructional supplies.