Saint Paul Public Schools


	Essential Skills Credential and Curriculum

Welcome to Minnesota's Essential Skills Credential

Minnesota's Essential Skills Credential Brochure

and FREE CASAS Lesson Plans!

Minnesota's Essential Skills Curriculum provides teachers with classroom-ready lesson plans, handouts and assessments for use in CASAS Low Beginning through High Intermediate ESL, or CASAS testing Levels A, B and C. These lessons are tailored to the CASAS competencies that learners must master in order to complete CASAS Level C in reading,

CASAS Lesson Plans

writing, listening, and math. Learners who complete CASAS Level C in any content area may receive an Essential Skills certificate from the Minnesota Department of Education. When all four skills have been achieved, the complete Essential Skills Credential (ESC) is awarded.

What teachers are saying about Minnesota’s Essential Skills Credential

“The lessons connect to real life. It's motivating for learners and holds their interest.”

“What’s great about ESC is that it is CASAS-based. Using the Learner’s Circle lesson plan, you are constantly preparing students for assessment, but with lessons that are relevant, learner-centered and help students transition to the workplace, get a better job, or become prepared to start studying for the GED.”

“The ESC curriculum eases the burden of standardized testing requirements. The test-prep is built into every lesson.”

Essential Skills Credential Promotional Video