SW Minnesota Today

68.3% of Cottonwood County students failed the science portion of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) test in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

These students did not meet the required standards of the science portion of the MCA, compared to the 31.7% who did.

The number of Cottonwood County students who failed their science assessments rose by 13.5% from the previous school year.

The MCA is given annually to Minnesota students to determine the academic readiness of students. Not every grade is tested each year.

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.

A student's success or failure on the MCA does not impact their grades or their ability to graduate.

School name	Students who did not meet standards (%)
SWWC Alternative Learning Center - Windom	100%
Windom Senior High School	73.4%
Mountain Lake Secondary School	72.7%
Westbrook-Walnut Grove Secondary School	71.8%
Windom Middle School	71.4%
Mountain Lake Elementary School	55.8%
Windom Area Elementary School	49.5%