Nearly Half of District 196 Schools Show Improvement in State Scores

Editor's Note: The following is a press release from School District 196.

Just under half of District 196 schools improved their Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) score and two additional district elementary schools were identified as “reward schools” in 2012 according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Aug. 30.

The MMR school accountability measure replaced the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) system earlier this year as part of the state's waiver to the federal No Child Left Behind law. The first round of MMR scores were released by the state in May and were based on results of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) in reading and math that students took in spring 2010 and 2011. The second MMR scores released Aug. 30 are based on MCA results from spring 2012.

All public schools in the state receive an MMR score, which is represented as a percentage calculated from the points schools earn for the following measurements (up to 25 points for each):

• The proficiency of students in making adequate yearly progress targets based on scores from the MCAs.
• The growth in achievement of students on the MCAs.
• The achievement gap reduction between subgroups of students, as measured by growth on the MCAs.
• The graduation rate (for high schools only).

Within each of these four areas, schools earn points based on their rank compared to other schools in the state. Points are awarded for the performance of a school’s students as a whole and within each of the following subgroups: White students, Black students, Asian/Pacific Islander students, Hispanic students, American Indian students, students who receive special education services, students who receive English Language (EL) services and students who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Because of this ranking, small differences in student scores can cause large changes in rank and the number of points a school earns in any one area.

Of the 31 schools in District 196, 14 saw their MMR score increase from the combined 2010/2011 results that were released in May and the other 17 decreased. Scores for all Minnesota public schools are available on the MDE website at www.education.state.mn.us. (Select “Data for Parents and Educators” under the Data Center tab at the top, then select "What are our Multiple Measurement Ratings?" and pick the district and school you want to review.)

Based on the MMR score, schools with higher concentrations of poverty that receive federal Title I funding may also receive a designation as a reward, celebration eligible, continuous improvement, focus or priority school.  The 10 Title I schools in District 196 are all elementary schools: Cedar Park, Deerwood, Echo Park, Glacier Hills, Greenleaf, Oak Ridge, Parkview, Rosemount, Southview and Westview. Schools that do not receive Title I funding do not receive these designations.

• Reward Schools are the highest-performing 15 percent of Title I schools in the state. Oak Ridge and Southview elementary schools are among the 128 reward schools in the state with this release. Deerwood, Greenleaf and Echo Park elementary were named reward schools in the May release of MMR data.
• Celebration Eligible Schools are the highest-performing 15 to 25 percent of Title I schools in the state. Echo Park, Glacier Hills, Greenleaf, Parkview and Rosemount are five of the 211 elementary schools statewide designated celebration eligible.
• Continuous Improvement Schools are in the lowest-performing 10 to 25 percent of Title I schools in the state. Cedar Park Elementary STEM School is one of 86 continuous improvement schools that will be required to write and implement a turnaround plan that must be supported by at least 20 percent of the Title I funding they receive.
• Focus Schools are the lowest-performing 5 to 10 percent of Title I schools in the state. No District 196 schools received this designation in May and the state did not designate any additional focus schools with this latest release.
• Priority Schools are the lowest-performing 5 percent of Title I schools in the state. No District 196 schools received this designation in May and the state did not designate any additional priority schools with this latest release.

Although it is still based on the results of a single test, District 196 Superintendent Jane K. Berenz said the MMR system is a better way to measure school performance (compared to AYP) because it factors in student growth. Members of the district’s Teaching and Learning Department will be meeting with principals and teachers this fall to review the MCA and MMR scores and other assessment results. The purpose is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of students at each school, personalize instruction and discuss ways to increase the achievement of each student.