Students do well on tests

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Students across the state – including those in Douglas County – fared well in state reading and math tests.

Last week, the state released test scores for students who took the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA).

The tests were administered in the spring of this year to students statewide in grades 3-8 (reading and math), 10 (reading) and 11 (math).

According to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Minnesota students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 improved their scores in math this spring as more than 426,000 students took the MCA tests in both math and reading.

While reading scores stayed relatively constant for most grades, the 10th grade results continued their upward trend for the second year in a row, according to MDE.

In fact, 10th grade reading scores have improved 10 percentage points since 2006, with most gains coming after the Legislature implemented the high stakes graduation requirement for reading starting in 2008.

After significant gains in 2009, the 11th grade math results showed only a modest improvement. The Legislature eliminated the graduation requirement for high school math in 2009.

MDE Commissioner Alice Seagren said, “The hard work of students, parents and teachers in our statewide focus on math is really starting to pay off with these steadily improving test results in elementary and middle school.”

Seagren also noted that, “Today’s results also show what happens when we raise expectations for our high school students and hold them accountable for their efforts in reading by requiring a certain level of proficiency for graduation.”

According to MDE, this is the last administration of the MCA Series II assessment. Next year, a new test aligned to revised standards in math and reading will be administered.

In Alexandria School District 206, about 2,400 students took the MCA tests. According to administrators, results for individual students will be mailed to parents before school starts this fall.

Once again, District 206 leaders were happy with the results from the MCA tests.

“We are pleased with our students’ performance, scoring above the state average in every grade level and every subject tested,” said Julie Critz, director of teaching and learning for District 206. “While our reading test scores continue to be strong, our math scores this year were outstanding.”

Critz said there were significant improvements in math scores at grades 3, 4, 5 and 7 with 5th grade making the largest increase of 9 percent over last year.

“Excellence in education is what this community expects, so it is exciting to share this news with our community,” Critz said. “What a celebration for our students, teaching staff, paraprofessionals, administrators, volunteers, parents and school board.”

She added that the hard work and dedication to students is what drives the district’s success.

“As always, we recognize that continuous improvement is expected by all and we will analyze our test data over the summer to help guide our improvement goal-setting process for the coming year,” she said.

On the MCA tests, students earn a score that falls into one of four achievement levels – does not meet the standards; partially meets the standards; meets the standards; and exceeds the standards.

Students who meet the standards or exceed the standards are considered proficient in that subject area. MCA scores are used to determine whether individual schools and school districts are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) under requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. AYP information will be released in August.

The results

Here is how school districts in Douglas County and surrounding areas scored on the MCA tests. The numbers represent the percentage of students who either met the standard or exceeded the standard:

Alexandria

school district

3rd grade: math – 87.2 percent, reading – 77.9 percent. Total tested: 272

4th grade: math – 83.3 percent, reading – 77.4 percent. Total tested: 287

5th grade: math – 80.3 percent, reading – 80.6 percent. Total tested: 279

6th grade: math – 76.3 percent, reading – 74.9 percent. Total tested: 263

7th grade: math – 73.3 percent, reading – 75.4 percent. Total tested: 274

8th grade: math – 59.3 percent, reading – 69.6 percent. Total tested: 290

10th grade: reading – 85.3 percent. Total tested: 266

11th grade: math – 56.2 percent. Total tested: 294

Brandon school district

3rd grade: math – 100 percent, reading – 85.7 percent. Total tested: 14

4th grade: math – 85 percent, reading – 95 percent. Total tested: 20

5th grade: math – 75 percent, reading – 87.6 percent. Total tested: 16

6th grade: math – 89.5 percent, reading – 89.5 percent. Total tested: 19

7th grade: math – 68.2 percent, reading – 81.8 percent. Total tested: 22

8th grade: math – 53 percent, reading – 58.8 percent. Total tested: 17

10th grade: reading – 76.2 percent. Total tested: 21

11th grade: math – 75 percent. Total tested: 16

Evansville

school district

3rd grade: math – 91.7 percent, reading – 100 percent. Total tested: 12

5th grade: math – 100 percent, reading – 90 percent. Total tested: 10

6th grade: math – 93.4 percent, reading – 100 percent. Total tested: 15

10th grade: reading – 86.6 percent. Total tested: 15

11th grade: math – 33.4 percent. Total tested: 15

Minnewaska

school district

3rd grade: math – 93 percent, reading – 98.3 percent. Total tested: 57

4th grade: math – 89.7 percent, reading – 81.8 percent. Total tested: 77

5th grade: math – 72.5 percent, reading – 89.9 percent. Total tested: 69

6th grade: math – 73.6 percent, reading – 81.9 percent. Total tested: 72

7th grade: math – 69.2 percent, reading – 74.1 percent. Total tested: 81

8th grade: math – 45.6 percent, reading – 73.8 percent. Total tested: 81

10th grade: reading – 89.2 percent. Total tested: 74

11th grade: math – 51 percent. Total tested: 98

Osakis school district

3rd grade: math – 80 percent, reading – 82.5 percent. Total tested: 40

4th grade: math – 74.2 percent, reading – 81.1 percent. Total tested: 50

5th grade: math – 63.1 percent, reading – 83.1 percent. Total tested: 65

6th grade: math – 80.3 percent, reading – 82.2 percent. Total tested: 62

7th grade: math – 81.3 percent, reading – 69.5 percent. Total tested: 59

8th grade: math – 74.3 percent, reading – 74.3 percent. Total tested: 74

10th grade: reading – 83.1 percent. Total tested: 71

11th grade: math – 64.8 percent. Total tested: 54

Parkers Prairie

school district

3rd grade: math – 80.6 percent, reading – 74.2 percent. Total tested: 31

4th grade: math – 83.7 percent, reading – 83.8 percent. Total tested: 37

5th grade: math – 61 percent, reading – 70.8 percent. Total tested: 40

6th grade: math – 72.7 percent, reading – 70.4 percent. Total tested: 44

7th grade: math – 42.4 percent, reading – 51.6 percent. Total tested: 33

8th grade: math – 55 percent, reading – 82.5 percent. Total tested: 40

10th grade: reading – 67.7 percent. Total tested: 35

11th grade: math – 24 percent. Total tested: 50

Statewide

3rd grade: math – 82.8 percent, reading – 76.3 percent

4th grade: math – 77 percent, reading – 72.5 percent

5th grade: math – 68.6 percent, reading – 76.4 percent

6th grade: math – 68.9 percent, reading – 71.7 percent

7th grade: math – 64.4 percent, reading – 66.1 percent

8th grade: math – 58.5 percent, reading – 68.1 percent

10th grade: reading – 75.3 percent

11th grade: math – 43.2 percent

Tags: local news, district 206, julie critz, news, students, tests, mca, critz, math, reading, alexandria