NW Minnesota News

Red Lake County saw 47.3% of their students pass the mathematics portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) in the 2023-24 school year, according to the ["Minnesota Department of Education", "Red Lake County"].

Of the 408 students who took part in the MCA, 32.8% met the testing standard while 14.5% exceeded expectations and scored highest on the test.

The passing rate among Red Lake County students grew by 0.1% from the previous school year.

The MCA and the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota’s academic standards and also meet federal and state legislative requirements. The tests cover math, reading and science, depending on the grade that is being tested. Most students take the MCA, but students who receive special education services and meet eligibility requirements may take the MTAS instead.

Overall proficiency on Minnesota's MCA exams has declined compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to Minnesota's Report Card. Math proficiency, for example, dropped by more than 7% from 2019, while reading proficiency fell by almost 5%.

School name	Students who met standards (%)	Students who exceed standards (%)
J.A. Hughes Elementary School	40.8%	26.4%
Lafayette Secondary School	24.7%	6.7%
Red Lake County Central Elementary School	33.1%	14.4%
Red Lake County Central High School	29%	4%