Advanced Learner Qualification

Timeline

• All MPS grade 2 students are assessed for AL qualification.
  • November-December 2025: Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT)
  • January and May 2026: FastBridge aReading and aMath assessments
    • Star Spanish assessments for dual language schools
• June 2026: AL qualification results and NGAT student report are mailed to the student's primary address
• September 2026: AL services begin

School Norms

• MPS uses school norms for grade 2 AL qualification.
  • School norms: Compare grade 2 students at the same school 
  • Z-scores:  
    • NGAT, FastBridge (or Star) test scores converted to z-scores.

Qualification for AL Services

• AL literacy enrichment
  • z-score of NGAT Verbal test + z-score of aReading/Star Spanish reading (higher score from January or May)
  • average z-score is 89th percentile or higher
• AL math enrichment
  • z-score of NGAT Quantitative test + z-score of aMath/Star Spanish math (higher score from January or May)
  • average z-score is 89th percentile or higher

Screening

• MPS grade 3-5 students who are not already AL students are screened.
  • Fall 2025: FastBridge aReading and aMath assessments
    • Star Spanish assessments for dual language schools
    • School norms: Compare grade level students at the same school 
      • If aMath and/or aReading (or Star) score is 77th percentile or higher school norms then take NGAT.
  • November-December 2025: Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT)
    • NGAT Verbal test: if aReading or Star Spanish reading is 77th percentile or higher school norms
    • NGAT Quantitative test: if aMath or Star Spanish math is 77th percentile or higher school norms
• June 2026: AL qualification results and NGAT student report are mailed to the student's primary address
• September 2026: AL services begin

Qualification for AL Services

• Z-scores:  
  • NGAT, FastBridge (or Star) test scores are converted to z-scores.
• AL literacy enrichment
  • z-score of NGAT Verbal test + z-score of aReading/Star Spanish reading
  • average z-score is 89th percentile or higher
• AL math enrichment
  • z-score of NGAT Quantitative test + z-score of aMath/Star Spanish math
  • average z-score is 89th percentile or higher

Multilingual Learner Pathway

• Multilingual learners (MLs) are students receiving MPS English language development services.
• MLs are screened with the grade 2 or grade 3-5 process first.
• This additional ML Pathway is for MLs who do not qualify through the grade 2 or grade 3-5 process.
  • ACCESS growth: If a ML meets their individual growth target on the ACCESS test then this is included instead of FastBridge scores.
  • WIDA level: If a ML does not have an ACCESS growth score yet then a WIDA level 3+ is included instead of FastBridge scores.
• Grade 3-5 MLs take Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT):
  • Meet ACCESS growth target
  • MLs without ACCESS growth score meet WIDA level 3+

Qualification for AL Services

• AL literacy enrichment
  • NGAT Verbal test + ACCESS growth (or WIDA 3+)
  • NGAT Verbal test is 89th percentile or higher (school norms for grade 2, national norms for grades 3-5)
• AL math enrichment
  • NGAT Quantitative or Nonverbal test (higher score) + ACCESS growth (or WIDA 3+)
  • NGAT Quantitative or Nonverbal test is 89th percentile or higher (school norms for grade 2, national norms for grades 3-5)