Quality Assurance of State Assessments RFP

Background
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Division of Academic Standards, Instruction and Assessment is responsible for the development and implementation of a coherent assessment system that measures student knowledge and skills on Minnesota Academic Standards and the Minnesota English Language Proficiency Standards.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Minnesota Statutes require the commissioner of MDE to report statewide student test results publicly. To ensure the accuracy of these results, an independent review is necessary. This RFP seeks proposals from qualified responders experienced in quality assurance for statewide student testing results.

Work Details
The successful responder will provide work products that check statewide student testing results and materials in the Minnesota statewide assessment program by establishing independent systems, performing calculations and analyses, and comparing results with those of MDE and the current Assessment Contractor.

Key tasks include:
1. Item analysis
2. Scaling and equating
3. Monitoring computer adaptive testing programs
4. Verifying computations
5. Alignment studies
6. Performance level descriptor setting
7. Site visits
8. Psychometric program support via consultation.

Specific assessments involved are:
1) Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) for Mathematics (Grades 3-8 & 11), Reading (Grades 3-8 & 10), Science (Grades 5, 8 & High School);
2) Alternate Assessments like MTAS for students with significant cognitive disabilities;
3) English Language Proficiency Accountability Assessments including ACCESS for ELLs.

Period of Performance
The anticipated contract term is from May 2025 to June 2027, with an option to extend for up to three additional years.

Place of Performance
The work will be performed in Minnesota.