Mahtomedi Public Schools’ 2023 MCA math and reading scores are among the top independent school districts in the state (Top 5 in Math and Top 10 in Reading), and we continue to outperform neighboring districts. This week, we shared a Teaching and Learning Update with our school community about the 2023 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment data. The message is below and you can also view the presentation slides (MCA information starts on slide 26) and video from the Assessment Update at the August 24 Mahtomedi School Board meeting.
To see the slides below in a larger format, click here to view the presentation slides (MCA information starts on slide 26)
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As we approach the start of the 2023-24 school year, I wanted to offer you a quick Teaching and Learning Update. Last spring, I initiated the Teaching and Learning newsletter, a quarterly overview of our academic progress. Later this Fall, we will publish the second installment of the newsletter and in it, you will see a review of this information. To find the April edition of the newsletter, visit theTeaching and Learning website. As the Director of Teaching and Learning, it is my commitment to regularly update our school community both with academic data and with our plans to continuously improve instruction for our students.
Last week, our Instructional Leadership Team (educators and leaders from each school) met to review data and set our instructional goals as a school district and as schools. We use three types of data to inform our work: Street-level data, Map-level data, and Satellite-level data (you can learn more about this data in the April 2023 Teaching & Learning Newsletter).
Satellite-level data is high-level information (often gathered once per year) that gives a snapshot of patterns across large numbers of students. This data helps to point out a general direction for further investigation. Today, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) released state accountability measures, including 2023 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment data, which is one form of satellite-level data that we review on an annual basis.
Purpose of MCAs: The purpose of MCA tests is to measure the health of a system - specifically, how well our instruction is aligned with Minnesota’s rigorous academic standards.
Use of MCAs in Mahtomedi: In Mahtomedi, we use MCAs to help us understand how well we have aligned our daily lessons to the state standards and how well we align our resources to help us to deliver instruction in reading, math, and science. We use a variety of data (including MCAs) to set instructional goals and target improvements, as well as celebrate successful initiatives used in our district. It is helpful to look at MCAs in comparison to other districts across the state to bring context to the trends we see.
Important to Know About Mahtomedi’s 2023 MCA Data: Mahtomedi Public Schools’ 2023 MCA math and reading scores are among the top independent school districts in the state (Top 5 in Math and Top 10 in Reading), and we continue to outperform neighboring districts. Below are a few grade-level celebrations we saw in the data this year.
Grade 3 Reading: Increase from 64.9% to 70.3%
Grade 7 Reading: Increase from 60.1% to 68.3>#/p###
Grade 6 Math: Increase from 70.2% to 74.7%
Grade 7 Math: Increase from 60.1% to 70.8%
Grades 3-5: Consistent high scores in math; grade 3 had 81.2% of students proficient in math
High School Science: Increase from 51% to 54.1>#/p###
As we begin the school year, we will gather additional data to inform our day-to-day practices that will prepare all Mahtomedi students with a meaningful and rigorous education and the future-ready skills they need to be successful.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Reichel, Director of Teaching and Learning
Mahtomedi Public Schools