Annual Report for Our Community

Annual Report for our Community

2010

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. Superintendent

Real World Issues: All of our students are involved in service-learning

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. We are the only district in the country to

be recognized by all ﬁve of the following

publications.

•

1,180 students (14.77%) attended Edina schools through state open enrollment programs. The majority of open-enrolled students come from

Minneapolis, followed by Hopkins, Richﬁeld

and St. Louis Park. In 2009-2010, they brought approximately $7.3 million in state funding to the District

Forbes.com named Edina among

“America’s 25 Best Schools for Your Housing Buck” (April 2010).

••

15% of Edina Public Schools students report minority status Edina’s English Language Learner program serves 2.5% of students who qualify as Limited

English Proﬁcient

US News and World Report named

Edina High School a Silver Medalist School for high performance on state assessment tests and college readiness scores. EHS had the highest college readiness index of any of the 11 Minnesota schools recognized (2009 and 2008).

•

Edina students speak 41 languages other than English at home, with Somali and Spanish the most common

••

7.7% of students qualify for Free and Reduced Price Lunch 11% of students receive personalized support from Edina’s Special Education Support Services

•••

11% of students receive personalized support from Edina’s Gifted Education Program

Family Circle Magazine identiﬁed Edina

as one of its top 10 towns in the nation for families. Edina Public Schools stood out as the only district in the survey to earn a perfect 10 of 10 school ranking (August 2009).
Enrollment at EPS is predicted to increase by about 471 students (5.9%) in

the next ﬁve years, the majority from resident enrollment (5.4%)

District buses travel approximately 3,300 miles and transport 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 High School Athletic Program in the Nation” (2005).

K-12 enrollment by building

Concord Elementary Cornelia Elementary Countryside Elementary Creek Valley Elementary Highlands Elementary Normandale Elementary South View Middle School Valley View Middle School Edina High School
715 551 570 585 549 635
1,222 1,302 1,861

7,990

TOTAL

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 Rank

2005-06

2006-07

Edina

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

Standardized assessments provide a one-day snapshot of student performance. The challenge is to make the data meaningful and personal for students, teachers and families.

Edina

Edina*

Minnetonka

1

Wayzata

Minnetonka Minnetonka* Edina

234

ChokioAlberta

Minnetonka Wayzata

Wayzata

Eden Prairie

Orono

Westonka

St. Croix Prep

Mahtomedi

“

Minnetonka

Delano

Westonka

St. Croix

Prep

5

— ^{District administrator}

Top ﬁve Minnesota districts in mathematics

State Rank

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09 2009-2010

Wayzata Delano

Edina
Edina

Wayzata

Edina

Wayzata

Edina

1

Wayzata Delano
Minnetonka Wayzata Delano

2

Chokio-Alberta Delano

34

Orono

Minnetonka

Westonka
Minnetonka Waconia
Westonka
ChokioAlberta
Minnetonka St. Croix
Prep

5

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 District administer?

above their peers. As students progress through Edina Public Schools and build cumulative

The details: 2008-09 MCA-II results

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)

2009-2010 MCA-II Results

All public school students in Minnesota are tested in reading and mathematics in third grade through eighth grade and in 10th grade (reading) and 11th grade

Edina students groups defined by the No Child Left Behind Act showed solid growth in a number of categories. The following groups demonstrated proficiency gains of nearly 4% or more in reading: Free and Reduced Price Lunch, Limited English Proficient, Special Educa-

tion, and Black. In mathematics, Free and Reduced Price Lunch, Black and Hispanic student groups made gains of more than 6%.

(mathematics). A science

assessment is administered in ﬁfth

grade and eighth grade and when students complete high school biology. Results are used primarily for public accountability.

Spring 2010 MCA-II Reading: percent of students proﬁcient

Percentage of students proﬁcient or above on 2008-2009 MCA-II reading

94.9

Measures of Academic

100
90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0

91.3

91.0

89.9
89.7 76.3
89.3
86.3

Progress (MAP)

Edina Public Schools administer MAP tests to students in second through seventh grade to help parents and educators monitor individual student growth, determine student placement, and improve curriculum and instruction. Results also help gauge Edina student achievement nationally.

76.4
75.3
72.5
71.6

68.1
66.1

Edina 09-10 MN 09-10

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

Grade

Cognitive Abilities Tests (CogAT)

measure individual student developmental cognitive abilities. Results can identify student learning styles, strengths and areas for improvement. These tests are administered in second and fourth grade.

Percentage of students pro-

Spring 2010 MCA-II Mathematics: percent of students proﬁcient

94.7
100
91.7

77.0
89.8 68.6
86.0 69.0

85.4

85.1

90

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0
75.3
82.1

GRAD Writing Assessment

Minnesota schools administer this assessment in ninth grade. Students must pass this test to receive a diploma from a Minnesota public high school.

64.4
58.6

43.3
Edina 09-10 MN 09-10

3

4

5

6

7

8

11

Grade

Note: Students who “Meet” or “Exceed” standards are deemed “Proﬁcient”

and are performing at grade level or above.

Spring 2010 MCA-II Science: percent of students proﬁcient

Fall 2009-2010 MAP Reading: percent of students above national average

Fall 2009‐10 MAP Reading: Percent of Students Above National Average

Spring 2009 MCA-II Science Assessment

Percent of Students Proficient

100

100%

Percentage of Edina Students Proﬁcient or Better

90

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
86.1%
82.0%
81.3%

80
70.7

76.2%
73.8%

66.2

71.2%

63.4 46.0
70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0
51.8
47.9

Edina Nation

Edina 09-10 MN 09-10

2

3

4

5

6

7

5

8

HS

Grade

Grade
Grade

Student performance on the science test was lower than on math and reading, but still near the top performing

districts in the state, with 70.7% of students proﬁcient.

The results show that Edina students far exceed national averages. Combined results across all six grades tested in 2009-10 indicate that 71.2% to 86.1% of Edina students scored above the national average.

GRAD Writing Assessment

98.1 90.6
97.9

96.9

96.8

100

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
0
90.8

89.5

89.6

Edina Minnesota

06-07

07-08

08-09

09-10

Year

In 2009-10, 98% of Edina ninth-graders passed this element of Minnesota’s Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (GRAD). Over the four years the assessment has been used, the percentage of Edina students passing has continued to improve.

Advanced Placement testing

Edina High School student achievement

Advanced Placement Testing

Edina High School offers 23 Advanced Placement courses as well as a number of enriched courses that will prepare students for AP exams. In spring 2010, Edina administered over 2100 AP exams—almost twice as many AP exams as any other high school in Minnesota (the largest number in the Midwest). Edina High School won the national 2009 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement.

Most US colleges and universities accept AP exam scores of three or higher for credit; each year, the value of college credits granted to Edina students as a result of AP tests is estimated to be $6.5 million.

Edina High School at a glance

2400

2181

•

A US Department of Education National School of Excellence, a Minnesota Department of Education Five Star School, and a US News and World Report Silver Medal School

2200

1998
1989

1923

2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000

1865

•

A comprehensive curriculum of over 140 courses, including study in eight languages, emphasizes preparation for college

1288
1265
1226

1151

'01-02 '02-03 '03-04 '04-05 '05-06 '06-07 '07-08 08-09 09-10

• •

145 students lettered in community service in 2010, contributing a collective 15,000 service hours to the community

Year

ACT Testing

In 2009-10, 518 high school seniors took the ACT test, posting an average composite score of 26.2. According to ACT, the percentage of Edina students ready for college level course work is twice as high as the typical Minnesota high school.

90% of students participate in co-curricular activities; one in three take on a leadership role

28.0 26.0 24.0 22.0 20.0 18.0

• •

99% of students graduate and 95% pursue higher education

86% of Edina students graduate from

college in ﬁve years

16.0
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

U.S.

MN

EHS

Year

National Merit Scholars

In 2009-10, five students earned National Merit Scholarships. An additional 12 students were named semifinalists. Edina High School has had National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists

each year the National Merit Foundation has been in existence.

Meaningful learning connections

Standardized tests can measure only a portion of the knowledge and skills students need to thrive in our complex and changing world. Authentic knowledge must be connected: to a student’s personal experiences, interests, and strengths, to real world issues, to emerging technologies, and to co-curricular activities. Edina Public Schools builds outstanding collaborations between staff, parents, and the community, helping students to develop and strengthen these learning connections.

Personalizing learning experiences to support and challenge students

Choices at every grade level

••

Parents can choose half- or full-day kindergarten. Elementary school choices include neighborhood schools, French Immersion and multi-age Continuous Progress

learning.

•

Middle school students may choose enriched or accelerated

course sections.

•

Project Lead the Way offers ﬁve hands-on courses that teach 21st century skills and open career paths to a host of ﬁelds that

use design, science, mathematics and technology skills. AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) is a software program that prepares students in the academic middle for success in preparing for college.

A focus on health and wellness

•

••

Steamers in Edina cafeterias have replaced deep fat fryers to provide healthier foods during the school day.
In 2009-10, 35 Edina seniors enrolled in the Post Secondary

Enrollment Options program, taking course work at

Minnesota public and private colleges.
Bus mechanics inspect buses top to bottom, inside and out, every 1,000 miles. Drivers perform daily pre-trip inspections, MN State Patrol checks buses annually, and all students receive bus safety training.
Non-traditional learning experiences at Edina High School include Cyber School, May Term Project, Mentor Connection, Technical Career Education, Performing Arts Center and more. Options is Edina’s state-approved alternative learning program located within Edina High School. It is designed to provide motivated at-risk students who qualify with a second chance at designing and pursuing a graduation plan.

••

New bike racks have been installed at several Edina schools to promote more physical activity. Edina High School’s Sober Squad was named the 2009 Outstanding Youth Group by the Minnesota Prevention Resource Center.

Personalized learning experiences to support and challenge every student

Special education highlights

••

In 2009-10, Edina’s Special Education Services program served 903 students, ranging in age from birth to 21

Individualized plans are designed to meet the special needs of each learner Customized teaching methods, a blend of general and special classes, adapted materials and specialized equipment—these and other strategies allow more equal access to our educational environment

••

Most students receive services in their neighborhood school and, when possible, in their regular class setting

Speech/Language was the disability area with the largest percentage of total special education population (26%), followed by Learning Disabilities (18%), Other Health Impairment (17%), Autism Spectrum Disorder (16%), Early Childhood Developmental Delay (7%), and English as a Second Language (2.5%)

•

Edina is the only district in the Twin Cities metro area to sponsor Special Olympics, and the only metro-area district to provide support for children through eighth-grade to participate in community education enrichment programs—ensuring that all students can participate in extracurricular and community activities, Edina offers Adapted Athletic programs sanctioned by the

Minnesota State High School League in soccer, ﬂoor hockey and softball

Every child has an advocate

“

My son gets extra help in areas most challenging for him, but his special education team also helps him identify his “sparks” and nourishes his amazing gifts. These rock star teachers inspire our whole family^!

— Edina elementary parent

Gifted education highlights

At the

At the elementary

secondary level, services

level, services offered may

may include: enriched and AP classes, mentorships, focus groups and peer group meetings, extracurricular competitions, and college planning. A full-time gifted resource teacher at each middle school and a .4 gifted dedicated counselor at the high school serve students include: all-school enrichment programs, cluster grouping in classrooms, services from a gifted education resource teacher, including pullout sessions related to