Minnesota Parent Center, MN PIRC

What do Minnesota’s academic standards and grade-level benchmarks mean to you and your child? When you make sure your child is meeting the standards and benchmarks for Minnesota’s public school children, you’re helping your child stay on the right academic course toward high school graduation.

What are academic standards? They define what students are required to achieve within a school subject area. Each school subject has a set of academic standards in every grade level. They name the specific skills and knowledge base your child is expected to reach in school. A benchmark is a specific skill students must learn to meet an academic standard.

Keeping track of the standards for each subject and every grade can be confusing, but it’s important for you to know that your child is meeting Minnesota’s academic standards each year. Why? Because meeting the state standards is part of what high school students need in order to graduate.

So how can you know if your child is meeting the standards? Two simple tools are already in place and will help you understand how well your child is doing. These tools are the grades on your child’s report card, and the scores your child receives on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment exam.

Public schools must choose curriculum based on Minnesota’s academic standards. The curriculum outlines what students are being taught and plans how to help them gain new skills and knowledge, including the standards’ benchmarks. So the grades on your child’s report card reflect her ability to master the specifics of a standard’s skills.

Another way to see if your child is learning the state standards in reading, math, writing, and science is by looking at your child’s scores on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment exam. This standardized test is also known as the MCA II. The test shows your child’s progress in achieving the grade-level benchmarks and the state academic standards. The score tells you if your child has reached the basic requirements for his grade level.

Students begin taking the MCA-IIs in third grade. They are tested in reading, math and writing. Students must pass the MCA-II writing test in ninth grade, the MCA-II reading test in 10th grade, and the MCA-II math test in 11th grade. Students must take science tests once during third to fifth grade and in grades sixth to ninth. They take a life science test once in between 10th and 12th grade. Students must pass the MCA-II reading test and the MCA-II math test in order to graduate from high school.

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Children do best in school when parents and teachers work together. Research shows that students learn more, have higher grades, and have better school attendance when parents are involved in their child’s education. That’s why attending parent-teacher conferences is so important: it’s a great way for parents to become involved and stay involved throughout the school year.

Parent-Teacher conferences are a good way to meet your child’s teacher and learn about your child’s academic performance, as well as the teacher’s expectations. If you know what is expected in the classroom, you can more easily address any issue that comes up as your child moves through the school year. By attending conferences, you also send a positive message to your child that school is important.

Keep in mind that you are an equal partner at the conference. If you have questions or observations, the conference is a good time to share them with the teacher. Don’t forget to share what you know about your child. Your information helps the teacher better understand and teach your child.

The following tips can help you prepare for a parent-teacher conference:

Schedule the Conference

• Set the conference at a time that is convenient for you.
• If meeting at school makes you feel uncomfortable, ask to meet somewhere else.
• Ask for a phone conference if you cannot attend your child’s conference in person.
• Inform the school as soon as possible if you need an interpreter.

Think About Your Child

• Review any work your child brings home.
• Does the work show effort?
• Write down your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Think about how your child works best; where? when?
• Does your child have any questions or concerns?

List Questions for Concerns for the Teacher

• Does my child hand in homework on time and is it complete?
• Is my child doing work at or above grade level?
• How are grades determined?
• Does my child work better in groups or alone?
• How does my child get along with others? Adults? Children?
• Is there any concern about learning or behavior problems that I should know about? If so, what has been tried to help my child?
• What can I do at home and school to help my child build on strengths and improve weaknesses?
• How can I keep in touch about my child’s progress?
• What are some opportunities for me to become involved at school?

Remember that children do best in school when parents and teachers work together!

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