WILLMAR -- Willmar teachers and administrators are studying the district's math curriculum this fall, looking for places where the school district might need to make adjustments to follow new state standards.
The investigation of math instruction is particularly strong at Lincoln Elementary, where enough student scores fell short of state goals to label the school as not making adequate yearly progress.
Principal Beckie Simenson and Curriculum Director Danith Clausen presented reports to the Willmar School Board Monday about the testing and other matters.
Simenson's discussion of the testing came in a report of progress on the district's strategic plan at Lincoln and at Jefferson Elementary. Simenson is principal of both schools.
Clausen followed up with a report on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment test scores. The MCA-II tests were given last spring, and the results were released about two weeks ago.
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Willmar's reading scores were very good, but math scores were not as high. The test was a new one, and it was markedly different from the earlier MCA tests, Clausen said.
Particularly in the math test, the test sought answers in a format the students had not used before, and in some cases the test criteria did not appear to follow state standards.
Board members expressed some concern about "teaching to the test."
Clausen said following the state's new standards should prepare students in each grade level for the tests. "You have to hope the test is based on some really good standards," she added.
Older students -- possibly more attuned to the fact that the tests are a gauge of the school district and won't "count" for them individually -- tend to not do as well on the tests. Only about 30 percent of the state's juniors met or exceeded standards on the math test they took last spring. "Dismal" was Clausen's word for those scores.
"Students haven't seen the relevance and didn't put a lot of effort into it," said Superintendent Kathy Leedom.
Board member Mike Carlson asked if there was concern that future funding for schools could hinge on a test that had no "teeth" in it.
Clausen said local officials had raised that issue with the state for some time.
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The solution has been to scrap the Basic Skills Tests in reading, writing and math that are currently required for graduation. They will be replaced with the MCA-II tests.
This year's ninth graders will have to pass the state math test when they are juniors to be eligible for a diploma. The 10th grade reading test and 9th grade writing test will also be used to determine graduation eligibility.
Students who don't pass on the first try will have multiple chances to retake the tests. Schools can apply for variances for students who are otherwise good students but panic and don't do well on a high-stakes test. Criteria for special education students are not yet clear.
"There's a definite trend toward more rigorous math earlier," Clausen said. This year's fourth graders will be required to take Algebra I in eighth grade and will be required to take Algebra II in high school. "It is definitely raising the bar."
Leedom said the district's scores are in the middle when compared with other schools in the Central Lakes Conference. Willmar has the highest percentage of low-income students, measured by eligibility for free and reduced-price lunches, and the highest mobility rate among the schools.
