Albert Lea schools report mixed gains from MTSS and non‑exclusionary discipline grants; suspensions fall overall

Tanya, a district grants presenter, told the Albert Lea Public School District board at a June study session that the district was delivering a combined update on two linked programs: the state Multi‑Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) grant and the non‑exclusionary discipline grant. “We are here this evening. Jamie Donaldson is our MTSS coordinator for Albert Lea Area Schools,” Tanya said, introducing the presenters and the report.

The presentation highlighted three MTSS goals—math proficiency, reading proficiency and reducing out‑of‑school suspensions among students with individualized education programs (IEPs)—and summarized preliminary results, classroom interventions and next steps. The district reported a decline in total in‑ and out‑of‑school suspensions from 567 last year to 388 this year, and staff said the drop reflects a mix of targeted interventions, behavior supports and changes in practice.

The improvements were uneven. On early math assessments administered with FastBridge (referred to in the presentation as FastBridge/FAST), one elementary school increased proficiency from about 53% to 76% and an eighth‑grade cohort rose roughly 5 percentage points; however, the district did not meet its overall math goal of raising spring proficiency from 58% to 61%. In reading, district leaders said they fell just short of a target to move students in grades 2–9 from 43% to 46% in the “low risk and above”…