Falls Elementary School Principal Jerry Hilfer reported Tuesday that district goals for student achievement on the Northwest Evaluation Association tests were not attained.

Hilfer compared results from 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years in math and reading at both the elementary and secondary levels. These goals have been used by the district as part of the Quality Compensation for Teachers program benchmarks.

Test results are also used by teachers to identify learning gaps for students so the instruction can be catered towards those topics students missed most often. Because students are tested multiple times during the year and results are detailed, instructors including Local 331 officials have previously told The Journal that the NWEA results are useful in the classroom and in checking on performance throughout the year.

The tests are given to students at the beginning of the year. A goal for “target growth” on the test is set for each student and results on tests at the end of the year are compared to see how many students made that target growth. Overall, the district goal requires a percentage of students to meet their target growth.

In the elementary, Hilfer reported that 70.76 percent of students reached target growth in math last year, compared to 68.06 percent this year in that subject. Last year, 67.88 percent of elementary students made target growth goals in reading; and 60.40 percent made reading goals this year.

For high school, Hilfer reported that 65.1 percent of students made math goals last year, with only 55.55 percent attaining their target this year. A drop in reading results, from 56 percent to 52 percent of students attaining target growth was seen from last year to this year.

Hilfer said the district missed the target growth rate by about 10 percentage points.

“Those are the numbers, for reasons it’s difficult to say what those are,” Hilfer said. “We’re still working hard at it.”

The target growth last year was 3 percent increase over the year before, whereas this year the target growth was 5 percent over the previous year, Hilfer said.

He said that because the goals keep increasing, it is harder to reach them every year. He also said there was a new math series, in which learning gaps could have been created. He added that the district focused on Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests this year and the NWEA tests were given secondary billing during the final days of the year.

“I’m not making excuses, just saying some things that may have impacted,” he said.

Other action

• The board denied a request from Rachel Hasbargen-Glowack for a leave of absence.

Citing the board’s inability to fill the position with another qualified candidate long term, Superintendent Jeff Peura recommended the board deny the request. The board voted 5-1, with member Mark Lassila the lone request approval, to deny the request.

• Peura told the board that the district could fund itself through the month of July in the event of a state government shutdown Friday. He said that in August, the district would need to look into an available line of credit to continue progress towards opening school in the fall.

• The board received copies of revised student handbooks and activity handbooks, in addition to a variety of other handbooks and policies, to consider for adoption at the July school board meeting.

• Tim Anderson of Northern Reliable Insurance Agency provided the district with a reduced quote for property and liability insurance for the upcoming year. The original quote presented was at $171,000; and the quote approved by the board was from Riverport Insurance for $153,000. Anderson said the change in providers came with an increase in coverage as well.

• A 10-cent to 20-cent increase in the price of school breakfast and lunch was approved. The price of milk doubled from 25 cents to 50 cents.

• After a brief discussion about which tests results were used when crafting the 2010-11 Annual Q-Comp Report for each school, the board approved these documents to be sent to the state.