White Bear Lake board hears progress on achievement goals; Willow Lane reading singled out for targeted support
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Summary
District staff reported gains in early‑literacy readiness and rising college‑credit attainment at White Bear Lake Area High School while flagging uneven outcomes for small subgroups; Willow Lane elementary’s third‑grade reading goal and targeted supports drew extended questions from trustees.
White Bear Lake Area Schools presented its 2024–25 Comprehensive Achievement and Academic Readiness update, describing steady gains in early‑literacy screening and progress toward multi‑year graduation and college‑credit goals.
Dr. Gillespie and Disa Fabec led the presentation and said the district is tracking multiple measures, including FastBridge early‑literacy screening. Fabec said, “65 percent of our current kindergarteners who were with us last year as pre‑K 4 enrollees were on track,” and staff called that an improving trend across cohorts. The presentation also noted an uptick in the number of graduates leaving high school with 12 or more college or career credits; the district’s goal for the graduating class is 40 percent.
Trustees pressed presenters on subgroup performance and small‑cohort volatility. Fabec cautioned that very small cohorts can produce wide percentage swings: “That is why a 0% looks stark — two students in a subgroup can change the percentage significantly.” Trustees asked for precise counts for kindergarteners who attended the district preschool; staff offered to provide that exact percentage after the meeting.
Willow Lane Elementary drew particular attention. The slide deck showed Willow Lane third‑grade MCA reading below the district goal; presenters described steps to respond: aligning curriculum, increasing instructional coaching, and using targeted interventions. Dr. Gillespie said administrators are partnering with the Minnesota Department of Education and have staff assigned to Willow Lane to help implement supports and replicate practices from higher‑performing cohorts.
Trustees also discussed how the district defines college and career readiness. Presenters said the metric includes a range of coursework — not only AP or PSEO — and that career‑pathway and articulated credit courses (including trade credits) are counted toward the 12‑credit readiness target.
What’s next: staff will supply the requested breakdowns (exact preschool participation percentage and finer subgroup counts) and return with related measures when the MDE data are available. The district also will continue to monitor FastBridge and MCA outcomes and report on progress toward the June 2026 goals.