School is one of higher performing Title 1 schools

Sibley Elementary is one of Minnesota’s higher performing Title I schools, according to Multiple Measurement Rating data released by the Minnesota Department of Education Tuesday.

Multiple Measurement Rating measures four categories: proficiency, which looks at student scoring and sub-groups in schools and whether the achievement gap has been lessened; growth, which measures students’ growth from one year to the next; and academic gap reduction. Graduation rates are also examined at the high school level.

Sibley Elementary, awarded Reward School status, had a rating of 93.1 percent on the Multiple Measurements Rating. The rating was higher than in 2014.

“That’s a huge honor,” said Diane Schultz, Sibley Elementary School principal, of the school being awarded Reward School status. “All the hard work we’ve done in programming and education has paid off. What we’re doing is working,”

Schultz plans on sitting down with staff to discuss the successful things being done at Sibley, as well as things that could go better. She said that will help her guide the staff to make sure the school continues down the path of excellence.

“I want to congratulate each of the reward schools today,” said Brenda Cassellius, Minnesota Education Commissioner, in a news release. “These schools have proven year after year that they are leaders in education for our state. I am excited to visit each of these schools and learn about best practices that can be shared with schools throughout Minnesota.”

Nearly two-thirds of schools are on track to achieve the state’s goal of cutting achievement gaps in half by 2017.

This year, 119 schools received the reward designation, meant for public schools that have demonstrated exemplary academic achievements in state exam proficiency, student growth, graduation rates and closing graduation gaps. Thirty of those schools have achieved that designation four times, including Sibley Elementary, and 14 schools have achieved that designation for a fifth consecutive time.

Numbers fluctuated between the other schools within the Albert Lea school district.

Lakeview Elementary School had an MMR score of 42.93 percent, lower than their 83.60 MMR score in 2014.

Funk said the decrease was likely due to a lack of students reaching their growth targets and the achievement gap not being reduced enough.

Hawthorne Elementary School’s MMR score was 49.09 percent, higher than last year’s MMR score of 42.19 percent.

Halverson Elementary School’s MMR score was 35.79 percent, lower than last year’s 52.11 percent.

Albert Lea High School’s MMR score was 43.59 percent, slightly lower than last year’s score of 44.18 percent.

The MMR data will be discussed at the Albert Lea school board workshop at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Every school can receive up to 25 points per category on how well students performed on the  categories of the MMR scores. The points are then converted to overall percentages.

A focus rating was also generated by combining the proficiency and growth of subgroups for which there is an achievement gap. If a school performs poorly, it may receive a focus rating designation. None of the Title I schools within Albert Lea Area Schools received a focus rating designation.

To be an eligible Title I school, at least 40 percent of a school’s students must be from low-income families who qualify under the United States Census’ definition of low-income, according to the U.S. Department of Education.