Annual Report for Our Community
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Annual2010 Report for our Community Our Mission The mission of Edina Public Schools, working in partnership with the family and the community, is to educate all individuals to be responsible, lifelong learners who possess the skills, knowledge, creativity, sense of self-worth, and ethical values necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse, global society Superintendent’s Perspective CREATING LEARNING CONNECTIONS This annual report for the community demonstrates that our students are great learners. Their abilities are truly impressive. I believe that our great learners benefit from the great connections that are occurring in our classrooms and beyond the school walls. Edina Public Schools places a high value on bringing learning alive for our students. We know that for deeper, more layered and lasting learning, students need to connect their learning to: • Meaning and Relevance: Our curriculum and instruction continue to create personalized learning experiences for all of our students—experiences that both support and challenge students in their learning and self-development. Ric Dressen, Ed.D. • Real World Issues: All of our students are involved in service-learning Superintendent projects integrated into the classroom, which enhance their personal and social responsibility skills for the world around them. • Emerging Technologies: Our teachers access technology devices and applications to motivate, expand and enhance learning experiences for our students. • Extracurricular Opportunities and Activities: The District provides extensive extracurricular opportunities and activities at all age levels, allowing students to explore and expand their curiosity, interests and talents. The staff is strengthening their learning connections as well. Staff training and development programs are connecting our staff to new and improved approaches for delivering instruction, especially in the areas of writing and technology. Our School Board, administration and teachers are strengthening their partnerships by expanding opportunities to communicate and problem-solve on an ongoing basis. Edina Public Schools is working to enhance connections with families and the community. We are using new, online technology tools to share information with families and students through timely communications and updates. The District’s volunteer program continues to grow, with volunteers of all ages working to support our students in their education. The Connection Challenge Our challenge will be to continue to strengthen these connections. We need to advance our learning and partnership connections in order to advance the District’s mission of “educating all individuals to thrive in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse, global society.” The opportunities are limitless. I encourage all of us to create new connections in the upcoming year. Our community and our schools NATIONAL CONTEXT The reputation of Edina Public Schools has grown nationally in the past decade. • 1,180 students (14.77%) attended Edina schools We are the only district in the country to through state open enrollment programs. The be recognized by all five of the following majority of open-enrolled students come from publications. Minneapolis, followed by Hopkins, Richfield and St. Louis Park. In 2009-2010, they Forbes.com named Edina among brought approximately $7.3 million in state “America’s 25 Best Schools for Your funding to the District Housing Buck” (April 2010). • 15% of Edina Public Schools students report minority status US News and World Report named • Edina’s English Language Learner program Edina High School a Silver Medalist serves 2.5% of students who qualify as Limited School for high performance on state English Proficient assessment tests and college readiness • Edina students speak 41 languages other than scores. EHS had the highest college English at home, with Somali and Spanish the most readiness index of any of the 11 Min- common nesota schools recognized (2009 and • 7.7% of students qualify for Free and Reduced Price Lunch 2008). • 11% of students receive personalized support from Edina’s Special Education Support Services Family Circle Magazine identified Edina • 11% of students receive personalized support from Edina’s Gifted Education as one of its top 10 towns in the nation Program for families. Edina Public Schools stood • Enrollment at EPS is predicted to increase by about 471 students (5.9%) in out as the only district in the survey to the next five years, the majority from resident enrollment (5.4%) earn a perfect 10 of 10 school ranking • District buses travel approximately 3,300 miles and transport (August 2009). approximately 5,500 students to and from school every day Newsweek included Edina High School in its list of “America’s Best High Schools,” basing the ranking on the number of AP tests taken per student. Only 6% of US high schools make the list (2008, 2007, 2003). Sports Illustrated Magazine ranked Edina’s athletic program the eighth “Best K-12 enrollment by building High School Athletic Program in the Concord Elementary 715 Nation” (2005). Cornelia Elementary 551 Countryside Elementary 570 Creek Valley Elementary 585 Highlands Elementary 549 Normandale Elementary 635 South View Middle School 1,222 Valley View Middle School 1,302 Edina High School 1,861 TOTAL 7,990 Our community and our schools Student achievement In 2009-2010, Edina educators administered over 20,000 standardized assessments. More than 11,000 were Minnesota assessments required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, with another almost 700 writing tests part of Minnesota’s Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (GRAD). These results are used largely for accountability purposes at the District and school level, with GRAD assessments linked to diplomas at the individual student level. The District also conducted over 5,500 Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments. These computer-administered tests assist students, parents and teachers as well as school and District administrators in monitoring student academic growth, informing student placement decisions and reviewing curriculum decisions. In 2010, Edina students placed first among Minnesota public school districts when reading and math scores on MCA-II Comprehensive Assessments are combined. Edina High School was the top Minnesota high school in both reading and mathematics. When reading and math scores are separated, Edina students across all grades were first in mathematics, and second (by 0.3%) in reading. Top five Minnesota districts in reading State Standardized Rank 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 assessments provide 1 Edina Edina Edina Edina* Minnetonka a one-day snapshot “of student perfor- 2 Wayzata Wayzata Minnetonka Minnetonka* Edina mance. The chal- “ Chokio- Minnetonka Wayzata Wayzata Wayzata lenge is to make the 3 Alberta data meaningful 4 Eden Prairie Orono Orono Westonka St. Croix Prep and personal for students, teachers Minnetonka Delano Westonka St. Croix Mahtomedi 5 and families. Prep — District administrator Top five Minnesota districts in mathematics State Rank 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-2010 1 Wayzata Edina Edina Edina Edina 2 Delano Wayzata Wayzata Wayzata Minnetonka 3 Edina Chokio-Alberta Delano Delano Wayzata 4 Orono Minnetonka Minnetonka Westonka Delano Chokio- Westonka Waconia Minnetonka St. Croix 5 Alberta Prep NOTE: Results determined by percentage of students who meet or exceed Minnesota State Standards across all grades tested. On both state and national standardized testing measures, Edina students perform well What tests does the Theabove details: their peers. 2008-09 As students MCA-II progress results through Edina Public Schools and build cumulative District administer? skills, their learning accelerates, widening the gap relative to their peers in other districts. By 11th grade, up to 32% more Edina students are proficient than the state average. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments II (MCA-II) Spring 2009 MCA-II Science Assessment All public school students in 2009-2010 MCA-II Results Percentage of Edina Students Proficient or Better Minnesota are tested in reading and Edina students groups defined by the No Child Left Behind Act showed solid growth in a mathematics in third grade through number of categories. The following groups demonstrated proficiency gains of nearly 4% or eighth grade and in 10th grade more in reading: Free and Reduced Price Lunch, Limited English Proficient, Special Educa- (reading) and 11th grade tion, and Black. In mathematics, Free and Reduced Price Lunch, Black and Hispanic student (mathematics). A science groups made gains of more than 6%. assessment is administered in fifth grade and eighth grade and when students complete high school biol- ogy. Results are used primarily for Spring 2010 MCA-II Reading: public accountability. Percentagepercent of students of students proficient proficient or above Spring 2010 MCA-II Reading: on 2008-2009Percent MCA-II of Students reading Proficient Measures of Academic 100 94.9 89.7 89.3 91.0 91.3 89.9 86.3 Progress (MAP) 90 Edina Public Schools administer 80 MAP tests to students in second 70 76.3 76.4 75.3 72.5 71.6 through seventh grade to help 60 66.1 68.1 parents and educators monitor 50 individual student growth, determine Percent 40 Percent Proficient student placement, and improve 30 curriculum and instruction. Results 20 Edina 09-10 also help gauge Edina student 10 MN 09-10 achievement nationally. 0 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Grade Cognitive Abilities Tests (CogAT) Grade measure individual student developmental cognitive abilities. Percentage of students pro- Spring 2010 MCA-II Mathematics: Results can identify student percentSpring of students 2010 MCA-II proficient Mathematics: learning styles, strengths and areas Percent of Students Proficient for improvement. These tests are 100 94.7 91.7 89.8 administered in second and fourth 86.0 90 85.4 85.1 grade. 80 75.3 82.1 70 77.0 GRAD Writing Assessment 60 68.6 69.0 Minnesota schools administer this 64.4 50 58.6 assessment in ninth grade. Students Percent Proficient Percent 40 must pass this test to receive a 43.3 diploma from a Minnesota public 30 Edina 09-10 high school.