Northfield ALC director reports gains; board presses for clearer graduation and attendance tracking

Daryl Keller, director of the district’s Alternative Learning Center, presented the Northfield Public School District’s 2024–25 comprehensive achievement and civic-readiness results and outlined program targets and growth expectations.

Keller said the ALC used targeted-growth metrics and predicted kindergarten growth "somewhere between 12 and 15 percent" across the assessment period. "We did look at the targeted growth," he said, describing the program’s benchmarks and how they align with expected gains.

Board members sought more context for the numbers. Board member Jeff suggested asking the same students in eighth grade and again in 11th grade to measure changes in aspirations; Keller said a multiyear comparison would be useful. Board member Amy Gurewitz pressed for clarity on reported graduation rates, noting that the subgroup percentages she tallied implied a notable share of students who did not finish within four years. Keller replied that the ALC tracks 4-, 5-, 6- and 7-year graduation rates and monitors students who obtain GEDs or re-enroll, saying the 7-year rate captures students who age out of public education.

On attendance, Keller described a two-part goal: a 90% threshold that recognizes consistent attendance and an individual-student improvement measure to capture progress among students already near perfect attendance. "We wanted to have the two different ways to measure," Keller said, noting the district will still disaggregate subgroup data for intervention planning even if the goal language emphasizes "every student." Board members repeatedly asked staff to show graphics that communicate subgroup trends without singling them out in the goal statement.

The board and Keller also discussed dyslexia screening. Keller and Superintendent Hillman said recent state legislation requires more intentional screening; early identification plus targeted interventions can improve reading proficiency by grade 3, though the district described this as a substantial operational effort.

Keller said the district offers credit-recovery and adult-education referral options for students who left high school and seek reengagement. "If they are under 21, they can come talk to the ALC," he said, describing counseling and planning steps for diploma or GED pathways.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation; staff said they would return with additional graphics and disaggregated reporting options in future materials.