Math tests trouble school board
By Brenda Halvorson
General Manager

Dean Ogg, high school principal, informed the school board of the testing at their regular meeting Monday, Mar. 16.

"The test is extra hard and this is happening statewide," said Ogg, adding that the new math curriculum adopted by the district in 2007 addresses some of the tests' requirements, but "I don't know if it will meet all."

Roy DiGiovanni noted that only 40 percent of the students statewide are expected to pass the test. "Is the test appropriate?" he asked.

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The reading and math tests are used to determine whether schools and districts have made adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward all students being proficient in 2014.

Reading and mathematics tests are given in grades 3-8, 10 and 11.

GRAD (GraduationRequired Assessments for a Diploma) tests are a component of the MCAIIs.

Current Minnesota law requires all high school students to pass a set of GRAD tests in order to graduate from high school in addition to their school districts' graduation requirements.

Next month Minnesota 11th graders will take the math GRAD test for the first time and, if they do not pass the original test or subsequent retakes prior to graduation, they will not graduate.

In the spring of 2008, just 36 percent of students statewide passed a trial version of the math GRAD test. It is not clear if the passage rate will be higher when students understand this test is a requirement for graduation.

Currently the legislature is considering some adjustments to remediation and retesting requirements as well as lowering the passing score to partial proficiency. If these changes go through, it is estimated about 75 percent of the students would pass the tests this spring.

Whether these changes will occur is unknown at this time.

Ogg said he thought there will be some changes in the requirements. He noted that, after a student has retaken the test twice, the school district is obligated to provide remediation.

One version of the bill being considered would allow students who fail the GRAD math test to graduate anyway provided they pass all required courses and credits, take whatever math remediation the district offers and retake the math test at leaast twice.

The GRAD math test contains high level math content and individual students may not have taken the appropriate courses to do well in the various parts of the exam.

The changes to meet these standards are still being implemented in school districts and students are gradually being prepared for and offered the appropriate classes to meet the changes in math standards.

"Has our (math) curriculum addressed the MCA II?" asked Mary Freeman.

Jerry Reck, high school math teacher, said that was part of what the curriculum changes were.

Superintendent Mark Schmitz said the issue is one that should be addressed in the PLCs (Professional Learning Community).

A PLC is a group of teachers working together throughout the year to examine and develop effective teaching strategies, to increase teacher collaboration in building curriculum and, thereby, raise student learning and achievement.

Schmitz said the groups should be looking at test results and determining remediation. He also noted that some PLCs are doing a better job than others.

Ogg said they met with interested parents and students on Feb. 24, the day after the practice test. Another practice test is scheduled for Mar. 30. The actual tests will be given April 14 and 15.

In other business the board:

o TERMINATED the contract of Randi Roiger, high school social studies teacher, due to the return of Kermit Klefsaas from a leave of absence.

o APPROVED John Riewer as head baseball coach, Malorie Riewer as 8th grade girls softball coach, Mark Jennissen as 9th grade baseball coach, Katie Crawford, 9th grade girls softball coach and Darren Holst as 7th grade girls softball coach.

o HEARD in the report by Kevin Olsen, dean of students at the middle school, that they were able to use new mics for the middle school play. The mics were provided by a $2,500 grant from the Minnesota Toyota Dealer's Drive for Education program. Olsen also noted that the play was interdisciplinary in nature, providing skills in music, drama, dance and the technical skills behind the scenes in production and was an opportunity for multi-level, multi-grade participation.