All the work, emphasis and enthusiasm put toward math and reading this past school year seem to have paid off in the Albert Lea School District, as the 2008 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments-Series II test results show.

Across all grades — except seventh grade — in both subjects the percent of students at proficient levels has gone up. The largest increase is seen in 10th-grade reading, with a 19 percent increase in students testing at or above standards compared to 2007 results, according to the Minnesota Department of Education. Sixth-grade reading saw an increase of 13 percent more students testing at proficiency levels compared with last year’s tests.

“We’re always very proud of how hard our children and our teachers have worked, so we can do nothing but celebrate where they are,” said Director of Curriculum Judy Knudtson.

The MCA-IIs are the state assessments in reading, math and now science that meet the No Child Left Behind Act. The tests are administered every year and define what Minnesota students should know and be able to do in a particular grade.

MCA-IIs are not graded on a pass or fail basis. Students fall into one of four categories: does not meet standards, partially meets standards, meets standards or exceeds standards. Testing results are considered showing proficiency if they fall in the meets or exceeds standards categories.

Eleventh-grade students testing in math saw a nine percent increase in proficiency levels, stepping up from 22.4 percent to 31.3 percent, according to the Department of Education.

Seventh-grade math test results saw a decline of 2 percent and reading saw a decline of 6 percent.

All other math and reading test results ranged from the 56 to 79 percent proficient, Department of Education reports state. Results reflected increases from 2007 results ranging from 1 percent to 19 percent.

The MCA-IIs are divided into three components. Students in third through eighth grade and 11th grade take the math portion. The reading portion is taken by students in grades three through eight and 10th. This was the first year students took the science portion, and it was completed by grades five, eight and high school students. Tests were taken in April.

Results for the science portion aren’t known yet. The science test was administered online, with students siting in computer labs across the district for two hours.

All testing results reflect on the school district’s adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. The act requires all students be proficient for their grade level by 2014. This includes English language learners and students in special education classes.

Knudtson said it has always been the Albert Lea School District’s goal to work on math and reading. However, the greater intensity paid to those subjects over the past year, she said, could have lead to higher scores and student achievement.

“We’d like to think that our parents were in this every minute with us in helping our children at home, also,” Knudtson said. “I think it’s a group effort on the part of parents, children and teachers that we were able to make these gains.”

The school district, according to Knudtson, will continue to work “diligently to increase math skills to reach state benchmarks for grade levels.”

Individual student test results will be sent out to parents later this summer. Knudtson said she hopes to have the information out to parents within a week of receiving them from the state, but exactly when is not known.

2008 Districtwide results for Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments-Series II, indicating percent proficient

Math Reading

Third grade 79.1 74.9

Fourth grade 61.7 67.6

Fifth grade 63.9 71.2

Sixth grade 64.9 76.4

Seventh grade 62.2 66.4

Eighth grade 56.6 74

Tenth grade n/a 72.2

Eleventh grade 31.3 n/a