The Alexandria Public School District board accepted the district’s draft Comprehensive Achievement and Readiness (CACR) report and approved a first reading of proposed high-school course changes at the Nov. meeting.

Trish Peria told the board the CACR — the successor to the 'World’s Best Workforce' report required by the Minnesota Department of Education — highlights five district goals. She said the preschool school-readiness target (goal 1) was met at 91% against an 89% target and that the district narrowed a reading achievement gap by 2.5% though it fell short of its math goal by 0.86 percentage points. Peria also reported a 95% college-and-career readiness rate for the class of 2025, a 95.2% graduation rate and that 100% of seniors presented digital portfolios last year.

A board member asked for context on the achievement gap; Peria replied it is "about 20%" between free-and-reduced-price-lunch students and the general population. Board members suggested clarifying language and regional comparisons before publication.

On course changes, Peria outlined additions intended to expand inclusive, vocational and arts pathways: Unified Music, advanced photography, expanded theater/acting courses, and a tool-safety and first-aid class aligned to OSHA standards (29 CFR 1910 and 1926) and offered in partnership with ATCC; she also described car-care/advanced auto mechanics pathway coursework. The administration proposed discontinuing low-enrollment items including animation, introduction to networking and certain rotated specialty offerings.

The board moved to accept the CACR report and later voted to approve the first reading of the high-school course changes; both motions passed with board 'Aye' votes. Peria said the CACR is a draft and committee feedback will inform final edits and visuals before publication.

The board discussion closed with staff commitments to provide clearer gap-size context and to track the small number of seniors who had not yet completed digital portfolios so that outreach could be offered to reach higher portfolio completion.