[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-583993-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-583993-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","a-beacon-a-barometer-and-a-bridge-imagining-more-equitable-student-centered-state-standards-and-assessments-in-minnesota","A Beacon, a Barometer, and a Bridge - Imagining More Equitable, Student-Centered State Standards and Assessments in Minnesota","","This report outlines concrete recommendations to better align Minnesota statewide assessments and academic standards with equitable, student-centered learning. It builds on a prior Education Evolving framework and synthesizes input from students, families, educators, and policymakers. The paper argues assessments express educational values, then proposes changes across three areas: standards as a “beacon,” Grade 3–8 assessments as a “barometer” focused on growth and cultural relevance, and high school assessments as a “bridge” using a badging system.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/a-beacon-a-barometer-and-a-bridge-imagining-more-equitable-student-centered-state-standards-and-assessments-in-minnesota/583993/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/a-beacon-a-barometer-and-a-bridge-imagining-more-equitable-student-centered-state-standards-and-assessments-in-minnesota/583993.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"\tCallum ","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-01","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the core purpose of the report for Minnesota?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The report examines how statewide assessments and academic standards could better align with and advance more equitable, student-centered learning in Minnesota.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"Why does the report argue that statewide assessments and standards matter?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"It presents three reasons: they are required under federal law, they are influential in shaping instruction and decisions, and they could play a helpful role in education when designed well.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What changes does the report recommend across the three main areas?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"It recommends using academic standards as a “beacon,” designing Grade 3–8 assessments as a “barometer” with a growth focus and cultural relevance, and creating a high school “bridge” through a badging system that could ultimately support federal waivers.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},583993,1792211537,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},137451211410,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/2000bb0a9246f588df?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1786362646172706240","A Beacon,  \na Barometer, and a Bridge  \nImagining More Equitable, Student-Centered State Standards and Assessments in Minnesota  \nAbout this report  \nThis paper builds on a prior Education Evolving report,“Defining and Measuring Student-Centered Outcomes”  \n([www.educationevolving.org/outcomes](www.educationevolving.org/outcomes)), which lays out a foundational argument and framework.  \nThis paper goes a step further, with concrete recommendations for Minnesota’s system of statewide assessments and academic standards.  \nWITH DEEP GRATITUDE  \nWe are immensely thankful to the more than 70 students, parents, teachers, administrators, policymakers, and researchers we spoke to for this paper. We do not list them by name because we spoke with them on conditions of anonymity, but each contributed to the final product. We extend a special note of gratitude to the team at the Minnesota Department of Education, for their openness to conversation and their generosity of time.  \nABOUT THE AUTHORS  \nThe research team for this report included Lars Esdal (of Education Evolving); Addy Welch (an independent researcher); and Laura Potter, Mengchen  \nSu, Sara Kemper, and Alyssa Parr (of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement or CAREI at the University of Minnesota) . While Lars is the primary author—and assumes full responsibility for the words and recommendations within—the ideas are a joint product of the team.  \nABOUT EDUCATION EVOLVING  \nWe are a Minnesota-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on advancing equitable, student-centered learning—that is learning that honors each student’s unique assets, interests, identities, and aspirations. To that end, we support teachers designing and leading schools, and policies that catalyze community-led innovation.  \n[Learn more at](Learn more at www.educationevolving.org)[ www.educationevolving.org](Learn more at www.educationevolving.org).  \nContents  \nIntroduction 4  \nRethinking the what and how of assessment 4  \nState assessments and standards matter 4  \nNaming opportunities (and issues) with current statewide assessments 6  \nBackground 8  \nMinnesota’s academic standards 8  \nMinnesota’s statewide assessments 8  \nFederal and state assessment laws 8  \nA complex history and relationship with equity 9  \nRECOMMENDATION AREA 1  \nState Academic Standards as a Beacon 10  \nImagine a More Focused Model of Learning Progress  \n1A. Write standards and benchmarks to model “learning progressions” 10  \n1B. Increase the rigor and focus of standards, while reducing overall quantity 11  \n1C. Create a state “Portrait of a Graduate” 12  \nRECOMMENDATION AREA 2  \nGrade 3-8 Assessments as a Barometer 13  \nImagine a More Equitable, Growth-Focused “System Check”  \n2A. Involve youth in test development and prioritize cultural relevance 15  \n2B. Accelerate the release timeline (and user-friendliness) of test results 15  \n2C. Prioritize measuring GROWTH in the design of the Grade 3-8 MCA 17  \nSIDEBAR: Five priorities for growth model design 18  \nRECOMMENDATION AREA 3  \nHigh School Assessments as a Bridge 20  \nImagine “Badges” as Causes for Celebration (and Credit and Jobs)  \n3A. Launch a high school “badging” system 20  \n3B. Expand acceptance of badges by colleges and employers 22  \n3C. Ultimately seek federal waiver to use badges as the high school MCAs 23  \nSIDEBAR: Badging-A concept already widely in use 24  \nConclusion 25  \nAppendix 26  \nA Psychometric Concepts Glossary  \n3  \nIntroduction  \nRethinking the what and how of assessment  \nTo get the equitable, student-centered education system we want and need—one which honors each unique student, and prepares them for the changing 21st century world—we need to rethink not only the design of learning, but also the what and how of assessment.  \nWhy? Assessments matter because they express our educational values. Our choices about which knowledge and skills we measure, and how we measure them, set the “goal posts” for learning. As goes the old ada","cbCainHkasOA0tcz","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainHkasOA0tcz","pdf",1374177,34,"English","# Introduction\n## Rethinking the what and how of assessment\n## State assessments and standards matter\n# Background\n## Minnesota’s academic standards\n## Minnesota’s statewide assessments\n## Federal and state assessment laws\n## A complex history and relationship with equity\n# Recommendation Area 1\n## State Academic Standards as a Beacon\n## Imagine a More Focused Model of Learning Progress\n# Recommendation Area 2\n## Grade 3-8 Assessments as a Barometer\n## Imagine a More Equitable, Growth-Focused “System Check”\n# Recommendation Area 3\n## High School Assessments as a Bridge\n## Imagine “Badges” as Causes for Celebration (and Credit and Jobs)\n# Conclusion\n# Appendix","[{\"question\":\"What is the core purpose of the report for Minnesota?\",\"answer\":\"The report examines how statewide assessments and academic standards could better align with and advance more equitable, student-centered learning in Minnesota.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does the report argue that statewide assessments and standards matter?\",\"answer\":\"It presents three reasons: they are required under federal law, they are influential in shaping instruction and decisions, and they could play a helpful role in education when designed well.\"},{\"question\":\"What changes does the report recommend across the three main areas?\",\"answer\":\"It recommends using academic standards as a “beacon,” designing Grade 3–8 assessments as a “barometer” with a growth focus and cultural relevance, and creating a high school “bridge” through a badging system that could ultimately support federal waivers.\"}]","A Beacon, a Barometer, and a Bridge - Imagining More Equitable, Student-Centered State Standards and Assessments in Minnesota | PDF",1792049404,86]