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Resources
Resources
Online Resources
The resources described in this section provide information and assistance to District and
School Assessment Coordinators who are preparing to administer the Minnesota assessments.
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Website
(http://education.state.mn.us)
On the MDE website, the Division of Statewide Testing provides information about testing,
including testing schedules, information to help District Assessment Coordinators edit and use
test data, and technical documents, such as test specifications, for each assessment.
MDE Website Resource
Testing Schedules
MDE website > School Support
> Test Administration >
Minnesota Tests
(http://education.state.mn.us/
MDE/SchSup/TestAdmin/
MNTests/index.html)
Test Specifications
MDE website > Educator
Excellence > Testing
Resources > Test
Specifications
(http://education.state.mn.us/
MDE/EdExc/Testing/TestSpec/
index.html)
Alternate Assessment
Eligibility Requirements
MDE website > School Support
> Test Administration >
Minnesota Tests
(http://education.state.mn.us/
MDE/SchSup/TestAdmin/
MNTests/index.html)
Description
Testing schedules for the current school year and draft
versions of schedules for future years are provided.
Test specifications are specific rules and characteristics that
guide the development of a test’s content and format.
This document helps Individualized Education Program
(IEP) teams determine the most appropriate assessment
option for students with disabilities. It consists of the
eligibility requirements and decision-making flowcharts for
the MCA-Modified and MTAS, as well as a glossary of
frequently used terminology.
2014 MTAS Task Administration Manual
Page 7
Resources
MDE Website Resource
Description
Technical Reports
MDE website > School Support
> Test Administration >
Minnesota Tests > Technical
Reports
(http://education.state.mn.us/
MDE/SchSup/TestAdmin/
MNTests/TechRep/index.html)
Minnesota Manual of
Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities in
Instruction and Assessment
and Training Guide
MDE website > Student
Success > Special Education
Programs > Statewide
Assessment for Students with
Disabilities
(http://education.state.mn.us/
MDE/StuSuc/SpecEdProg/
StateAssessStuDisab/)
This section of the website includes the technical reports for
MTAS, which includes information on the June 2013 reading
standard setting. It also includes MTAS raw-to-scale score
tables for the Mathematics, Reading and Science MTAS.
This manual was developed by the National Center on
Educational Outcomes (NCEO) with a grant from MDE. This
manual is designed to help IEP teams select, administer,
and evaluate the use of accommodations for instruction and
assessment. The NCEO has also developed a Training
Guide for effectively using the Minnesota Manual.
To link to the manual and training guide, refer to “Related
offsite resources” on the Statewide Assessment for Students
with Disabilities page of the MDE website.
Minnesota Assessments Portal
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org)
This is the single entry point for many functions associated with administration of the Minnesota
assessments. All AIR statewide testing services used by Minnesota districts and schools can be
accessed in this portal including the following resources:
General Resources
Item Samplers
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Item Samplers > MTAS
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/item-samplers/#mtas)
MTAS Training for Test
Administrators
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > Training > Minnesota
Department of Education
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=10)
Page 8
Description
MDE has designed MTAS item samplers to familiarize
test administrators and students with the format of the
test. Item samplers include mathematics, reading and
science examples that are similar to test
administration materials; however, they cannot be
used to predict how well students will perform on the
MTAS.
Each year, MTAS test administrators need to
participate in the MTAS Training for Test
Administrators. MDE provides training in a web-based
format that can be viewed individually or as a group.
The training covers MTAS test materials, test
administration policies and procedures and scoring
practices.
2014 MTAS Task Administration Manual
Resources
General Resources
Alternate Assessment Eligibility
Requirements Training
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > Training > Minnesota
Department of Education
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=10)
Manuals and Forms
Procedures Manual for the
Minnesota Assessments
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > General Resources
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=1)
Description
The Alternate Assessment Eligibility Requirements
training provides information needed to determine how
a student with a disability will participate in statewide
testing.
Description
This manual is the primary source of information for all
Minnesota assessments. It has been prepared for
District Assessment Coordinators, administrators,
teachers and others who have a role in administering
Minnesota’s assessments. It contains information
needed to make informed decisions about
administering statewide assessments in each school
or district. In addition, this document familiarizes
readers with responsible test administration practices.
This manual also includes the Important Dates for
each assessment.
MTAS Task Administration Manual
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > Title I Assessments >
MTAS Resources
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=7)
Learner Characteristics Inventory
for Alternate Assessments on
Alternate Achievement Standards
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > Title I Assessments >
MTAS Resources
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=7)
MTAS Data Collection Form
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > Title I Assessments >
MTAS Resources
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=7)
2014 MTAS Task Administration Manual
This version of the manual, posted to the Minnesota
Assessments portal, contains only the portion of the
Task Administration Manual on administration
guidelines, policies and procedures. Grade-level Task
Administration Manuals that are shipped to districts
also contain secure items, such as task scripts,
reading passages and object lists.
Use this form to record Learner Characteristics
Inventory (LCI) data for each student who will be
administered the MTAS. LCI data is entered into AIR’s
Data Entry Interface.
Use this form to record student MTAS scores before
entering them into AIR’s Data Entry Interface.
Page 9
Resources
Systems and User Guides
Data Entry Interface
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Assessment Coordinator > Data
Entry Interface
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/assessment-coordinators/)
Data Entry Interface User Guide
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > User Guides
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=2)
Online Reporting System
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Assessment Coordinator > Online
Reporting System
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/assessment-coordinators/)
Online Reporting System User
Guide
Minnesota Assessments portal >
Resources > User Guides
(http://www.mnstateassessments.org
/resources/?section=2)
Page 10
Description
Data Entry Interface is the AIR online system districts
use to enter scores for the MTAS and Learner
Characteristics Inventory data. Access requires a user
name and password. District and School Assessment
Coordinators access the Data Entry Interface prior to
administration to set up test administrator accounts
and user roles.
This manual provides detailed information on AIR’s
Data Entry Interface for District and School
Assessment Coordinators and Test Administrators.
Data Entry Interface is the system districts use to enter
scores for the MTAS.
This system provides access to the Test Management
Center where users can determine MTAS test status
(e.g. started, completed), and allows users to generate
a report of Test Completion Rates.
This manual provides information users will need to
use the Online Reporting System. The document
includes instructions on logging in, managing rosters,
and viewing test management resources.
2014 MTAS Task Administration Manual