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Annandale presenters cite above‑average test and graduation rates, outline goals under revised "comprehensive achievement and civic readiness" plan
Summary
District presenters told the board the Annandale Public School District outperformed state averages on recent MCAs and reported a 93.3% four‑year graduation rate for the 2024 cohort; the presentation outlined goals across five pillars, screening and intervention plans and professional development timelines.
John Menke and Victoria Beckman presented the Annandale Public School District's Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness report (formerly called "World's Best Workforce") at the board meeting, highlighting district goals and recent assessment results.
Menke said the district organized goals into five pillars — kindergarten readiness, closing racial and economic achievement gaps, career and college readiness, graduation and lifelong learning — and has worked with principals to set measurable targets for the current school year. He described a regular kindergarten roundup in February and summer preschool participation improvements (58 this past summer versus the thirties the prior year) as ways the district is tracking early‑learning readiness.
Victoria Beckman, reporting on achievement integration, provided disaggregated MCA figures. She said 930 students took the math MCA (grades 3–8 and grade 10) and the district scored 60.3% proficiency in the tested grades, about 10 percentage points above the state average. Beckman reported that among roughly 262 free‑and‑reduced‑price students, proficiency was 40.1% (state 26.5%), and students of color scored about 50% (state ~32.2%). For reading, roughly 960 testers included 274 FRP students at 43.1% proficiency (state 32.6%) and students of color at 53.5% (state 33.8%). "So we are on the right trajectory for increasing those scores," she said.
The presentation noted the Reid Act/CAPD screening work to identify students who need intervention earlier. Menke and Beckman described investments in training: the district sent 73 staff to a multi‑day course (OLA) and plans additional paraprofessional reading training in January with an eight‑hour preparation module. Beckman said the district is already implementing many interventions the statute anticipates.
On career and college readiness, Menke described career exploration that begins in middle school, a recent career day with about 30 professionals and counselors'guided meetings with every junior and senior. The district continues Career and Technical Education offerings and pays for preACT testing for freshmen to inform career coursework. The board heard that the Minnesota Report Card shows a verified 2024 graduation rate of 93.3% for the district cohort, compared with a state average of 84.2%.
Board members asked clarifying questions and thanked the presenters for the work. The presentation materials and full goal sheets were noted as posted online and will be reported again next year.
