This announcement is from the Superintendents mailing

Science and English Language Arts Standards Implementation Delay

To provide flexibility for districts in implementing new standards as the state emerges from COVID-19, MDE will be delaying the required implementation of the Science and the English Language Arts standards to the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, respectively. Implementation dates for each content area are set as part of the rulemaking process to allow flexibility for implementation needs. With both of these two content areas still in the rulemaking process, MDE will use that opportunity to update the proposed rule language to reflect the new implementation date. Since the MCAs are based on the standards, the Science MCA – IV will be delayed until the spring of 2025 for grades five, eight, and high school, and the Reading MCA – IV will be delayed until the spring of 2026 for grades three through eight and high school. Although districts are not required to begin work to implement the standards, MDE will continue to engage in test specifications and development to be prepared for the MCA – IVs in spring of 2025 and 2026. 

Important note: Due to the fact that the Arts and Physical Education standards have already gone through rulemaking, MDE does not have the authority to delay implementation of these standards; therefore, these standards will move forward with implementation as scheduled. There is still legislation currently being considered that would delay implementation of the Arts and Physical Education standards.