Testing
St. Louis Park Public Schools sees, inspires, and empowers each learner to live in their brilliance.
Our academic testing program is designed to provide valuable insights into student learning, helping educators tailor instruction to meet the diverse needs of our students and guiding them toward achieving their full potential.
On this page, you will find our comprehensive testing calendar, detailing the scheduled assessments throughout the school year. Each assessment plays a vital role in measuring progress and ensuring that our educational standards are met. We recognize and respect the rights of families to make informed decisions about their child’s participation in testing – included on this page is opt-out information in English, Spanish and Somali.
Resources
2025-2026 Testing Calendar
| Test | Dates | Grades |
|
Fall Fastbridge Early Reading English (ALL) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
|
K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
K-1 |
|
Fall Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
PSI Sept. 26
|
2-5 2-3, gated step nonsense words |
|
Fall Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL)
|
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
|
K-1 (pilot) |
|
Fall MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
1 |
|
Fall NWEA MAP Reading English (AQ, PH, SL, PSI 4-5) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-5
|
| Fall NWEA MAP Reading Spanish (PSI 2-3) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-3 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Math English (AQ, PH, SL, PSI 3-5) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-5 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Math Spanish (PSI 2nd) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Science (MS) | Monday October 20 - Friday, October 31 |
6-8 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Reading English (MS, HS) | Monday October 20 - Friday, October 31 | 6-8 (9-12 gated step 2 Capti) |
| Fall NWEA MAP Math English (MS) | Monday October 20 - Friday, October 31 | 6-8 |
|
Winter Fastbridge Early Reading English (All) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 23 |
K-1 |
|
MCA Science |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 23 | K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 30 | K-1 |
|
Winter Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 23/PSI January 30 | 1-5, 2-3 (gated nonsense words) |
| Winter Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL) | Monday January 12 - Friday January 23 | K-1 (pilot) |
|
Winter MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
K -1 (pilot) |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Reading English (AQ, PH, SL, MS, PSI 4-5) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-8 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Reading Spanish (PSI 2-3) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-3 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Math English (AQ, PH, SL, MS, PSI 3-5) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-8 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Math Spanish (PSI 2nd) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Science (MS) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
6-8 |
|
ACCESS |
Jan 26th- March 20th |
K-12 |
|
Student Engagement Survey |
February |
K-12 |
|
ACT |
Tues March 24th, makeups March 26th |
11 |
|
Reading Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-8, 10 |
|
MTAS Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-8, 11 |
|
Science Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
5, 8, HS |
|
MCA Reading |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-8, 10 |
|
MCA Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-8, 11 |
|
MCA Science |
April 6th*- May 8th |
5, 8, HS |
|
Spring Fastbridge Early Reading English (All) |
May 11th - May 22nd | K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
May 11th - May 22nd | K-1 |
|
Spring Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
May 11th - May 22nd |
1st grade - 5th grade; 2-3, gated nonsense words |
|
Spring Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL) |
May 11th - May 22nd |
K-1 (pilot) |
|
Spring MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
May 11th - May 29th |
K -1 |
*MCA/MTAS officially open March 2nd
Download the 25-26 Testing Calendar
Acronym list
|
ERA and CBMR |
Early Reading Assessment and Curriculum-based measures of Reading are screening tests for reading fluency (in English and Spanish), designed and developed by the University of Minnesota. Tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. |
| Fastbridge |
FastBridge is an online assessment system for K–12 schools that measures student learning in reading, math, and social-emotional skills. It offers universal screening, progress monitoring, and reporting tools to guide instruction, identify learning gaps, and track student growth over time. Tests are administered in the fall and spring. |
|
MAP |
Measures of Academic Progress from Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) are adaptive tests administered up to 3 times a year in the fall, winter, and spring, in reading and math. |
|
MCA |
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are a federal requirement for all districts receiving Title I funds:
|
|
MTAS/Alternate MCA |
Minnesota Test of Academic Skills is an alternate assessment for MCA for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. |
|
ACCESS |
Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State is a federal requirement for English Learner students. The test was developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), a consortium of 25 states. |
|
ACT |
American College Testing to meet the MN state requirement of a career and college readiness test. |
2025-2026 District Assessment Plan
Testing Dates by School
Elementary
| Test | Dates | Grades |
|
Fall Fastbridge Early Reading English (ALL) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
|
K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
K-1 |
|
Fall Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
PSI Sept. 26
|
2-5 2-3, gated step nonsense words |
|
Fall Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL)
|
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 19
|
K-1 (pilot) |
|
Fall MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
K-1 |
|
Fall NWEA MAP Reading English (AQ, PH, SL, MS, HS, PSI 4-5) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-12 (9-12 gated step 2 Capti) |
| Fall NWEA MAP Reading Spanish (PSI 2-3) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-3 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Reading English (AQ, PH, SL, PSI 3-5) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2-5 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Math Spanish (PSI 2nd) |
Monday September 8 -
Friday September 26
|
2 |
|
Winter Fastbridge Early Reading English (All) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 23 |
K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 30 | K-1 |
|
Winter Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
Monday January 12 - Friday January 23/PSI January 30 | 1-5, 2-3 (gated nonsense words) |
| Winter Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL) | Monday January 12 - Friday January 23 | K-1 |
|
Winter MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
K -1 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Reading English (AQ, PH, SL, PSI 4-5) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-5 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Reading Spanish (PSI 2-3) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-3 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Math English (AQ, PH, SL, PSI 3-5) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2-5 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Math Spanish (PSI 2nd) |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
2 |
|
ACCESS |
Jan 26th- March 20th |
K-12 |
|
Student Engagement Survey |
February |
K-12 |
|
Reading Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-5 |
|
MTAS Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-5 |
|
Science Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
5 |
|
MCA Reading |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-5 |
|
MCA Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
3-5 |
|
MCA Science |
April 6th*- May 8th |
5 |
|
Spring Fastbridge Early Reading English (All) |
May 11th - May 22nd | K-1 |
|
Fastbridge Early Reading Spanish (PSI) |
May 11th - May 22nd | K-1 |
|
Spring Fastbridge CBMR (English All, Spanish PSI) |
May 11th - May 22nd |
1st grade - 5th grade; 2-3, gated nonsense words |
|
Spring Fastbridge Early Math Composite English (AQ, PH, SL) |
May 11th - May 22nd |
K-1 |
|
Spring MAP Math Primary Spanish (PSI) |
May 11th - May 29th |
K -1 |
*MCA/MTAS officially open March 2nd
Download the 25-26 Testing Calendar
Acronym list
|
ERA and CBMR |
Early Reading Assessment and Curriculum-based measures of Reading are screening tests for reading fluency (in English and Spanish), designed and developed by the University of Minnesota. Tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. |
| Fastbridge |
FastBridge is an online assessment system for K–12 schools that measures student learning in reading, math, and social-emotional skills. It offers universal screening, progress monitoring, and reporting tools to guide instruction, identify learning gaps, and track student growth over time. Tests are administered in the fall and spring. |
|
MAP |
Measures of Academic Progress from Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) are adaptive tests administered up to 3 times a year in the fall, winter, and spring, in reading and math. |
|
MCA |
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are a federal requirement for all districts receiving Title I funds:
|
|
MTAS/Alternate MCA |
Minnesota Test of Academic Skills is an alternate assessment for MCA for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. |
|
ACCESS |
Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State is a federal requirement for English Learner students. The test was developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), a consortium of 25 states. |
|
ACT |
American College Testing to meet the MN state requirement of a career and college readiness test. |
Middle School
| Test | Dates | Grades |
|
Fall NWEA MAP Reading English |
Monday October 20th -
Friday October 31st
|
6-8 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Science |
Monday October 20th -
Friday October 31st
|
6-8 |
| Fall NWEA MAP Math English |
Monday October 20th -
Friday October 31st
|
6-8 |
|
Winter NWEA MAP Science |
Mon. Jan. 12th - Fri. Jan. 30th |
6-8 |
|
ACCESS |
Jan 26th- March 20th |
K-12 |
|
Student Engagement Survey |
February |
K-12 |
|
Reading Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
6-8 |
|
MTAS Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
6-8 |
|
Science Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
8 |
|
MCA Reading |
April 6th* - May 1st |
6-8 |
|
MCA Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
6-8 |
|
MCA Science |
April 6th*- May 8th |
8 |
*MCA/MTAS officially opens March 2nd
Download the 25-26 Testing Calendar
Acronym list
|
ERA and CBMR |
Early Reading Assessment and Curriculum-based measures of Reading are screening tests for reading fluency (in English and Spanish), designed and developed by the University of Minnesota. Tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. |
| Fastbridge |
FastBridge is an online assessment system for K–12 schools that measures student learning in reading, math, and social-emotional skills. It offers universal screening, progress monitoring, and reporting tools to guide instruction, identify learning gaps, and track student growth over time. Tests are administered in the fall and spring. |
|
MAP |
Measures of Academic Progress from Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) are adaptive tests administered up to 3 times a year in the fall, winter, and spring, in reading and math. |
|
MCA |
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are a federal requirement for all districts receiving Title I funds:
|
|
MTAS/Alternate MCA |
Minnesota Test of Academic Skills is an alternate assessment for MCA for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. |
|
ACCESS |
Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State is a federal requirement for English Learner students. The test was developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), a consortium of 25 states. |
|
ACT |
American College Testing to meet the MN state requirement of a career and college readiness test. |
High School
| Test | Dates | Grades |
|
Fall NWEA MAP Reading English |
Monday, October 20th - Friday, October 31st
|
9-12 (gated step 2 Capti) |
|
ACCESS |
Jan 26th- March 20th |
K-12 |
|
Student Engagement Survey |
February |
K-12 |
|
ACT |
Tuesday, March 24th, makeups March 26th |
11 |
|
Reading Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
10 |
|
MTAS Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
11 |
|
Science Alternate MCA |
April 6th* - May 1st |
9-12 |
|
MCA Reading |
April 6th* - May 1st |
10 |
|
MCA Math |
April 6th* - May 1st |
11 |
|
MCA Science |
April 6th*- May 8th |
9-12 |
*MCA/MTAS officially opens March 2nd
Download the 25-26 Testing Calendar
Acronym list
|
ERA and CBMR |
Early Reading Assessment and Curriculum-based measures of Reading are screening tests for reading fluency (in English and Spanish), designed and developed by the University of Minnesota. Tests are administered in the fall, winter, and spring. |
| Fastbridge |
FastBridge is an online assessment system for K–12 schools that measures student learning in reading, math, and social-emotional skills. It offers universal screening, progress monitoring, and reporting tools to guide instruction, identify learning gaps, and track student growth over time. Tests are administered in the fall and spring. |
|
MAP |
Measures of Academic Progress from Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) are adaptive tests administered up to 3 times a year in the fall, winter, and spring, in reading and math. |
|
MCA |
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments are a federal requirement for all districts receiving Title I funds:
|
|
MTAS/Alternate MCA |
Minnesota Test of Academic Skills is an alternate assessment for MCA for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. |
|
ACCESS |
Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State is a federal requirement for English Learner students. The test was developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), a consortium of 25 states. |
|
ACT |
American College Testing to meet the MN state requirement of a career and college readiness test. |
AP (Advanced Placement)
Make the most of your high school experience and earn college credits with our Advanced Placement (AP) program. Our AP teachers are passionate about their courses and eager to support students undertaking this college-level work. Their dedication benefits our students. Depending on your AP exam scores and college credit policies, you may earn college credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities.
May 4, 2026
- 1 p.m. | European History
- 1 p.m. | Microeconomics
May 5, 2026
- 8:25 a.m | Chemistry
- 8:25 a.m | Human Geography
May 7, 2026
- 8:25 a.m | World History
- 1 p.m. | African American Studies
- 1 p.m. | Statistics
May 8, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | US History
- 1 p.m. | Macroeconomics
May 11, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | Calculus AB
- 8:25 a.m. | Calculus BC
May 12, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | Precalculus
- 1 p.m. | Psychology
May 14, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | German Literature and Culture
- 1 p.m. | Spanish Literature and Culture
May 15, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | Spanish Literature and Culture
May 16, 2026
- 8:25 a.m. | Environmental Science
- 1 p.m. | Computer Science A
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do many SLP students opt out of testing?
- What if I have concerns about test security?
- How can I opt my student out of testing?
Why do many SLP students opt out of testing?
Leer en Español Af-Soomaali ku akhri
St. Louis Park High School has a significantly higher opt-out rate than our neighboring school districts. We want to help staff, families, and students understand how these tests can benefit students and schools and how opting out can actually have unintended negative impacts.
Let’s break it down
The state uses proficiency data to help identify which schools need additional support and recognize those making fantastic progress. But when students opt out of testing, they are marked as “not proficient” by the state, significantly lowering apparent proficiency levels. It impacts everything from students’ college-ready scores and understanding of academic progress to school enrollment and perception.
It’s not that SLP students aren’t proficient, it’s that many are not testing
At nearly all schools, the proficiency levels of SLP students in both math and reading is higher than the state, sometimes much higher. While opting out is somewhat of a problem at the Middle School where 11-18% of students opted out of each MCA test in the spring of 2022, it is a large problem at the High School, where 38-65% of students opted out of MCA testing last year. When this large group opted-out, the overall proficiency for the High School dropped over 12% for math and over 15% for reading. These drops make it appear that the High School is lagging behind others in the state, when in fact it is above or similar to other districts across the state.
There are a variety of beliefs about standardized tests
Movements across the country have encouraged families to opt out without understanding the impact it has on students and schools. Some movements, for example, are based on the premise that standardized tests are racially biased against Students of Color. We acknowledge that some tests can be biased or used inappropriately to disadvantage Students of Color, however, through St. Louis Park Public School’s strategic plan for racial equity transformation, we remain committed to ensuring our testing practices benefit students. Ultimately, we believe these tests provide vital information on how the district as a whole is or is not providing rigorous instruction for all students.
We encourage SLP families to continue their learning and understanding about standardized tests.
In the meantime, we want to share our beliefs about standardized tests.
- They are a small but important part of measuring the effectiveness of teaching.
- They help us understand what teaching strategies and practices are working.
- They help highlight classrooms and schools that are making fantastic progress, and where we need to continue to improve.
- They help hold SLP schools and our district accountable for high quality instruction aligned with state standards.
How standardized tests benefit students and schools
- Students who take the tests receive a college-ready score that can save them time and money by not having to take remedial, non-credit courses at a Minnesota State college or university.
- Schools, teachers, and caregivers can gain valuable information about how well a student is progressing academically.
- Teachers and school leaders receive information about areas of strength and gaps in our current curriculum, which then informs how educators plan lessons in math, reading, and science.
- Students who take the tests count towards the school's and district's overall state test results.
- It ensures that resources and support for student learning are equitably distributed to SLP schools.
How do educators use standardized test data?
“As a teacher in St. Louis Park I use the results from the end of year tests, like the MCAs, as a kind of thermometer to understand not only the students, but my own success for the year. No one I work with would ever want to put too much emphasis into a single test from a single student, but the MCAs are a great tool for holding myself accountable and identifying where I can improve meeting the needs of my students. I want students to leave my room ready to change the world. The MCAs are an important tool to help me change what needs changing and make what is working even better. I need objective data to make sure our students don’t just feel ready to create change, but have the skill sets to do so.” - Phil Stern, 5th grade teacher
“The results of the MCA test inform our schools how well the curriculum and instruction is translating into understanding of our state standards and benchmarks. At the end of each testing season, each school receives a report stating how well the students understand each benchmark. When this report shows high levels of proficiency, we teachers celebrate! At the middle and high school level, I have been working with different departments in the areas where this report shows low levels of proficiency. From there, we dig deeper into the meaning of the standards and benchmarks and make changes to our curriculum and instruction. This often means that we increase the rigor in our classrooms and our expectations of learning on our assessments.” - Maddy Wegleitner, Secondary Learning Specialist
What if I have concerns about test security?
In St. Louis Park Public Schools, we take every care to protect test security, and understand its value as a public investment to provide reliable and accurate data to inform us about student learning. If you have any concerns about test security, please report directly Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) using their form.
Minnesota Statewide Test Security Tip Line
Note: The Student Assessment Coordinator and Assistant Student Assessment Coordinator are responsible for reminding staff of the district process for communicating potential security breaches within the school and to the District Assessment Coordinator, as well as providing information on the MDE tip line as an additional option for reporting security concerns. This will be posted on each school’s website, with the testing calendar.
For the high school only: For the first item above, if any non-district staff such as a parent or MDE test auditor comes to the school during testing, ask for proof of test security training before admitting them to testing areas. If there are questions of any kind, refer them to our district test security procedures and contact Teresa Petta via email at petta.teresa@slpschools.org.
How can I opt my student out of testing?
Parents/guardians have a right to not have their student participate in state required standardized assessments. Minnesota Statutes require the department to provide information about statewide assessments to parents/guardians and include a form to complete if they refuse to have their student participate.
When completed, this form should be returned to Chufue Lo. Email: lo.chufue@slpschools.org | Mail: 6300 Walker Street, St. Louis Park, MN 55416
English statewide assessments opt-out form Spanish statewide assessments opt-out form Somali statewide assessments opt-out form