Schools prep for tougher reading test
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (AP) -- Schools across Minnesota are gearing up for a tougher reading test this spring.
The new exam will reflect new literacy standards the state adopted as part of a national initiative called Common Core.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that reading passages will be longer on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. Questions will be trickier. And students will read less literature and more nonfiction to prepare.
Teachers say they welcome the higher bar, while expressing concerns that the test might take a lot longer to complete. The state has urged districts to set aside as much as five hours for the test, which students generally take in two or more chunks.
Results will be available in mid-August. Officials caution against comparing them with scores from earlier tests.
___
Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.