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9:07	News Cut (Bob) - Good morning and thanks for stopping by Tom Weber's discussion of Minnesota's grad testing. We'll get going here in just a minute. If you haven't read the story, please do. You can find it here .

9:08	Tom Weber, MPR - Hello, everyone! Glad to be here.

9:12

News Cut (Bob) - Alright. We're ready to go. Tom, your story has put me back into school, and last night I had that dream that it's the end of the school year, I'm in a class that's giving the final exam, and I haven't been to class all year. So what's the deal in Minnesota right now, has everyone taken the tests they're supposed to take and how many is that?

9:13

Tom Weber, MPR - All the MCA-II reading and math tests are done, Bob. There's also an online science test the state gives to 4th, 8th and HS students - that's still going on, but that test doesn't really count for anything.

Now, there are Advanced Placement (AP) and INternational Baccalaureate (IB) tests being administered.

9:13	Tom Weber, MPR - Those last two are where students take college-level courses and a good score on those last two tests can mean college credit...

9:15	News Cut (Bob) - And what grades are tested in the MCA-II. Most of the attention has been on the juniors, right?

9:15	[Comment From richie] Hello Tom.

9:15	Tom Weber, MPR - Grades 3-8 reading and math, but also 10th grade reading and 11th grade math. Yes, the attention this year has been on 11th grade math becasue of the extra focus on needing to pass that test to graduate.

9:16	Tom Weber, MPR - Hi Richie, glad you're here.

9:16	News Cut (Bob) - As I wrote above, I don't quite understand the idea that a passing grade (score) isn't set until AFTER the students take the test. What's up with that?

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