Hopkins fall data report: graduation rates steady, gaps on ACT math persist; AP participation rises

Hopkins Public Schools presented its fall student-achievement report at the Aug. 19 board workshop, highlighting graduation, ACT and Advanced Placement (AP) results and outlining next steps to improve outcomes and data accuracy.

Superintendent Mary Pirie Reid opened the presentation by noting the district’s new rhythm of quarterly achievement updates to increase transparency and enable staff, board and community to track growth. “These quarterly updates will allow us to report progress over time,” she said, introducing the district’s approach to combining summative and growth measures.

Graduation rates District staff reviewed the state’s 2023–24 four‑year graduation rate of 85.6 percent as reported by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Data specialist Iya Vang and Dr. Anne Ertle explained that internal calculations can show different rates depending on coding rules and whether students who moved or transferred are excluded. Vang illustrated the point with two internal projections for the current cohort: a 79.3 percent rate when all seniors who enrolled are counted and an 89.0 percent rate when students who transferred or dropped are excluded. Vang emphasized the importance of consistent Infinite Campus end‑status coding and said the district will standardize practices and run cohort-level analyses (for example: students who entered in ninth grade and graduated from Hopkins) as a next step.

ACT and AP results The report showed 529 students participated in the spring ACT; Hopkins matched the state’s composite score of 20.7. District staff pointed out pronounced racial disparities in benchmark attainment: substantially higher percentages of white students met ACT benchmarks in math and science compared with Black/African American students. Dr. Ertle and data staff called for a multi-pronged response: program review (with secondary math a priority this year), targeted classroom and test‑prep supports (including in-class daily practice options and the district’s Maya Learning college‑readiness platform), and better identification of students who are taking the exam while not enrolled in concurrent math instruction.

AP participation rose sharply. The district reported 1,166 AP exams administered in 2025 — a 32 percent increase from the prior year — with participation and pass rates also up; staff credited intentional recruitment, inclusive access and strong teacher supports for that rise.

Next steps District leaders outlined immediate next steps: refine graduation‑coding practice in Infinite Campus; hold targeted data review sessions with math and college-readiness staff; use peer‑ambassadorship (student leaders) and in-class ACT prep to improve outcomes; and continue quarterly reporting. Dr. Ertle said the district will provide follow‑up analyses, including cohort graduation trends and disaggregation of AP and ACT participation by course enrollment.

What board members asked Directors pressed for finer breakdowns (for example, which math course sequences were completed by students scoring above benchmarks on the ACT) and asked whether the district collects post‑test student reflections; staff committed to follow up. Directors also asked for AP demographic breakdowns and said they want the district’s slide decks archived in one place for year‑over‑year comparison.