Austin elementary test scores improving

Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 21, 2003

The Austin School District's test scores are improving, but it may not be good enough for a couple of area elementary schools.

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) results were released to schools Thursday, and Austin scored better than it has in previous years in all of the main categories.

Superintendent Corrine Johnson said scores have been going up for awhile, partially due to changes in the material taught to students.

Email newsletter signup

"What we've been doing is we've been doing a better job of aligning the tests with the curriculum," she said.

Teachers and administrators are not entirely pleased, however.

"In the district as a whole, the scores have gone up," Johnson said. "But there are schools that we are concerned about because the scores are lower than they should be."

On June 30, districts across Minnesota will be notified as to whether any of their schools will be "flagged" by the state. By July 31, they must announce to the public the schools designated as under performing by the state of Minnesota. The month between notifying the schools and notifying the public is to allow districts time to tell the Department of Education whether there are any mistakes in the test results.

Sumner Elementary School is one that teachers and administrators are waiting to find out about.

Fifth graders at Sumner previously did not meet the minimum requirements set by the state.

If this year's scores are not an improvement, the district must pay penalties under the new federal No Child Left Behind law. Parents would be able to choose to send their children to a higher-performing school, and the district would have to pay to bus them. After three years, schools must provide private tutoring, and after five years, the government can take over the school.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at :mailto:matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com