Albert Lea school officials hope collaboration within the district and with other Big Nine schools will help the district increase its eighth-grade reading and math scores.

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment scores released last summer showed Albert Lea last in the conference in eighth-grade math proficiency at 38.7 percent — approximately nine points lower than in 2014.

A little under 23 percent of students who received free and reduced lunch were proficient.

District officials discussed the scores at the Albert Lea School Board workshop last week.

Director of Secondary Programs Kathy Niebuhr said she wants to collaborate with other schools that are doing well in testing in the Big Nine conference.

“We’ve got some exciting work to do,” she said.

She said district officials could seek information from other districts about how they have achieved high test scores. She said staff members could visit other schools to discuss strategies with teachers and other information.

Niebuhr added about one-third of eighth-graders are in academy courses, noting she hopes it will show an improvement in MCA results that will be released this summer.

District officials are aiming for the first-year program to allow students to grow academically and socially in a program that provides more personalized instruction and guidance throughout the school day in English, social studies, science, as well as a foundations course that helps students organize their material and increase understanding of other core classes. The number of failing grades has reportedly dropped considerably among participants.

The program is also helping the district achieve a 90 percent graduation rate. Just under 70 students in eighth and ninth grade each are taking part in the program.

Niebuhr said she is hearing from parents and students that academy coursework is making students more comfortable in high school with fellow classmates.

“We know that teachers are able to track student work and help them more systematically as part of the academy groups,” she said.

Albert Lea eighth grade MCA reading scores were at 43.1 percent — including just under 28 percent of free and reduced lunch recipients.

Less than 42 percent of Albert Lea eighth-graders were proficient in reading in 2014.

Niebuhr said she does not want to see test scores at that level, noting district officials are working to improve the test scores.

Niebuhr expects a full review of curriculum and alignment of eighth-grade curriculum with state standards to take three years.

“This, along with implementing opportunities for improved teacher practice in the classroom, will be an ongoing process,” she said.

She said curriculum review will be ongoing as the Minnesota Department of Education and the Legislature continue to review science, social studies, mathematics, arts, physical education, health and career, technical education, English and language arts standards.

Niebuhr credits high Albert Lea third-grade MCA scores with Title I funding and a positive instructional model.

A little more than 58 percent of Albert Lea third-graders were proficient in reading — slightly less than the 58.9 percent state average.

She said she was pleased with proficiency numbers for students receiving free and reduced lunch.

Albert Lea’s third-grade math MCA scores were among the best in the conference — more than 73 percent of third-grade math students were proficient.

Niebuhr credited a guaranteed and viable curriculum, along with a guarantee that elementary school math curriculum that met state standards was met at each elementary school, something she deemed as a “promise” to students.

She said staff input and professional development activities are held throughout the year to ensure student learning.

Superintendent Mike Funk said the district has a commitment to implementing and adopting state standards at the secondary level.

He said the district will see an increase in student success on standardized tests, noting he thinks the tests are good indicators of where the district is at a point in time.

“They are a narrow measure of our students ability level in a specific area,” Funk said. “As a district, we are committed to continuously improving our education system for the whole student.”