Lester Prairie Elementary School: How many students failed the science portion of the MCA test in 2023-24 school year?

In Lester Prairie Elementary School, 35% of students failed the science portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) test in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

These students did not meet the required standards of the science portion of the MCA, while 37.5% only partially met the standards. Meanwhile, 22.5% met the standards and 5% exceeded them, totaling 27.5% who met or surpassed standards.

In the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA), the "Partially Meets the Standards" achievement level indicates that a student has demonstrated some understanding of the grade-level academic standards but has not fully met the expectations. This level reflects partial proficiency in the subject matter, suggesting that the student may require additional support to achieve full proficiency.

The total percentage of Lester Prairie Elementary School students who failed the science portion of the MCA fell by 1.7% from the previous school year.

Across the Lester Prairie Public School District, 45.2% of students did not meet the standards on the science portion of the MCA, 33.9% only partially met the standards, 18.3% met the standards, and 2.6% exceeded them—totaling 20.9% who met or exceeded expectations.

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 Did Not Met Standards (%)	Students Who Only Partially Met Standards (%)	Students Who Met Standards (%)	Students Who Exceeded Standards (%)
Lester Prairie Elementary School	35%	37.5%	22.5%	5%
Lester Prairie Secondary School	50.7%	32%	16%	1.3%