Minneota Schools reaches academic high

The new academic testing results were unveiled by the Minneota School Board Tuesday night. All areas showed nice gains in the areas of science, math and reading in the past year for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment results.

SCIENCE District wide, Minneota’s results, which were 43 percent in 2013 and below the state average of 52 percent, but has risen to 73.6 percent in 2019.

Out of 27 area schools, Minneota is the top-ranked school in District Science. Second best was Hills-Beaver Creek at 60.2 percent with Marshall third at 55.9 percent. There were 27 schools compared in the district. The state average is 50.4 percent.

READING: Minneota has excelled in reading across the district in the past three years. Out of 27 area schools, Minneota has been ranked first three years in a row, going from 75 percent in 2017 to 72 percent last year and back up to 75 percent this year. Springfield is currently the No. 2 school in reading in the area at 69 percent with Hills-Beaver Creek and Canby at 68 percent. The state average is 60 percent.

Reading Elementary School: Minneota is ranked No. 3 out of area districts with a 72 percent ranking. Canby is No. 1 at 76.8 with Hills-Beaver Creek second at 73.3. This is out of 30 schools.

The state average is 60 percent. Secondary Reading: Minneota is ranked first out or area districts at 78 percent compared to 74 percent the past two years. Tracy is second at 67.9 percent with Dawson-Boyd third at 67.7 percent. This is out of 28 schools. The state average is 59 percent.

MATH District wide, Minneota ranked No. 2 out of area districts in math at 71 percent with Springfield first at 75 percent. Luverne was third at 70.

Minneota rose from 70 percent a year ago and 69 the year prior to that. Thirty schools were listed. The state average is 55 percent. Math Elementary: Minneota ranked second at 78 with Springfield first at 88.9. Hills-Beaver Creek was third at 76.7.

Of the 29 schools in this survey, Minneota has risen from seventh last year at 70 to second in the area. The state average is 58. Math-Secondary: Minneota fell a bit here from first in 2018 to fourth in 2019. They had a 67 last year and 63 this year. The best in the area was Luverne at 67.9 with Edgerton in second at 66.2, Marshall third at 63.9 and Minneota fourth.

Altogether, the school district had these improvements from the past: •Math was 15 percent above the state average. •Reading was 15.4 percent above the state average. •Science came in at 21.6 percent above the state average. Compared that to 2013, when math was 17.5 percent below; reading 7.7 percent below and science 10 percent below the state average. •Here’s how Minneota ranked among all Minnesota schools. •All School Districts Overall (452): Minneota 21st.

•All Minnesota Elementary Schools (859): Minneota 95th. •All Minnesota High Schools (492): Fourth.

IN OTHER action the board:

•Approved the new preliminary school levy at 1.8 percent increase for 2019 pay 2020. The levy will be submitted at maximum. The school district will finalize the levy on December 17, 2019.

•Approved a maternity leave for Samantha Pies.

•Approved six open enrollments from Marshall and Canby.

•Approved Kris Fier as junior high wrestling coach.

•Approved Amber Rodas as prom/junior class advisor.

•Approved Brandi Stefansen and Brianna Anderson as ECFE helpers.

•Approved Morgan Benson to assist with the 2019-2020 musical.

•Approved a motion to allow Wabasso to join the hockey cooperative with Marshall. Minneota is part of the cooperative.

•Set a negotiation meeting for September 24 with the teachers organization.

•Set the next regular school board meeting for 7 p.m., Tuesday, October 15.