Dear Principal/Superintendent:
I want to thank you for the excellent work that you and your district
have invested in student learning and achievement on behalf of
Minnesota.
I know that the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also
known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” does require a commitment of
school time and staff, and I appreciate the work your school did to
ensure the successful administration of the NAEP in
Minnesota. The participation of your students and school serves a vital
role in showing what Minnesota students know and can do. The support of
the entire team—superintendents, test coordinators, principals,
teachers, and student—has enabled the measure of
student progress for over four decades and has served as a valuable
tool for gauging Minnesota’s progress in comparison to other states and
the nation.
NAEP results for grades four and eight in reading and mathematics
function as the common metric of student achievement across the nation,
and play an important role in informing national policy leaders about
the educational achievement of America’s students.
I am so proud to share with you the highlights of Minnesota’s 2013
results.
Minnesota scores were significantly higher in both math and reading
at fourth grade, and for the first time since these data were collected,
we saw achievement gap closure in fourth grade reading.
Grade Four Reading
·
Black and Hispanic students scored significantly higher than 2009
·
Students eligible and not-eligible for free/reduced price lunch scored significantly higher than 2011
·
Females score significantly higher than 2011
·
Gap between white and black students decreased 10 points since 2009
·
Gap between white and Hispanic students decreased 10 points since 2009
·
Percent-at-and-above proficient and percent at advanced significantly higher than 2011
Grade Four Math
·
Minnesota has highest overall score in the nation in 2013
·
Minnesota has highest percent of students at-or-above proficient in 2013
·
Minnesota black and white students each has fourth-highest score in 2013
·
Minnesota has fifth-highest score for students eligible for free/reduced price lunch
·
Males and females scores significantly higher than 2011
·
Percent-at-and-above proficient and percent at advanced significantly higher than 2011
Governor Mark Dayton and I argue that investments in early learning
scholarships, all-day kindergarten, more rigorous reading and math
standards and Minnesota’s waiver from the federal “No Child Left Behind”
law were important factors in helping teachers and
schools make this amazing progress with students. While eighth grade
students still performed among the best in the nation, they did not show
as much improvement from 2011 as fourth graders, evidence of years of
disinvestment in our system of education in
Minnesota. This underlines that we continue to have important work
ahead of us to ensure that every child in Minnesota is successful.
Again, thank you for your participation in 2011 NAEP. Should you have
any questions about NAEP, please do not hesitate to contact me or Kate
Beattie, our NAEP coordinator at 651-582-8532.
Sincerely,
Brenda Cassellius
Commissioner
|
Monday, November 25, 2013
Letter from Minnesota Department of Education
Friday, November 22, 2013
Student News
Head on over to http://www.cnn.com/ studentnews/ and check out today's show. There's a surprise around the 8:55 minute mark. A little national notoriety for your Friday :)
Head on over to http://www.cnn.com/
Monday, November 4, 2013
WE SCARE HUNGER
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