SW Minnesota Today

Cottonwood County saw 40.1% of their students pass the Reading portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Of the 1,011 students who took part in the MCA, 31% met the testing standard while 9.1% exceeded expectations and scored highest on the test.

The passing rate among Cottonwood County students fell by 4.6% from the previous school year.

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.

Analysis from The Nation's Report Card showed math and reading scores have fallen significantly in the last decade. Science scores have been steady in recent years.

School name	Students who met standards (%)	Students who exceed standards (%)
Mountain Lake Elementary School	37.8%	10.8%
Mountain Lake Secondary School	21.8%	12.1%
Westbrook-Walnut Grove Secondary School	28.3%	6.5%
Windom Area Elementary School	39.4%	7.7%
Windom Middle School	30.1%	9.3%
Windom Senior High School	20.6%	11.3%