Student Progress & Growth Monitoring

District and school leaders must work together to create a strong system of support for all students.

To learn more about our services and programs, click on the links below:

• English Language Learners: http://www.npaschools.org/english-second-language
• Talent Development Services: http://www.npaschools.org/gifted-and-talented-program
• Read Well by Third Grade Plan: http://www.npaschools.org/literacy-plan
• Special Education: http://www.npaschools.org/special-services
• Title 1: http://www.npaschools.org/district-site/title-one

Based on READING NWEA data, MCA data and Fountas and Pinnell data, we identified the following needs at the beginning of the 2016 school year:

• Clear and consistent approach to literacy instruction in our elementary buildings based on our Fountas and Pinnell and MCA data. Our MCA reading data declined from 2015 to 2016 showing a concern of our systematic instruction in our elementary settings.
• Increase proficiency and growth for all students on both the Reading (K-8) and MCA reading (3-10) assessments.
• Increase rigor of instruction and assessments to align with the Common Core ELA Standard

2016 Fountas and Pinnell Proficiency At or Above Grade Level

• Kindergarten: 77%
• 1st Grade: 79%
• 2nd Grade: 82%
• 3rd Grade: 82%

Based on Math MCA data and NWEA data, we identified the following needs at the beginning of the year

• Increase proficiency and growth for all students on both the Math (K-8) and MCA math (3-10) assessment
• Focus support for struggling learners at early levels to meet our goal of all students on track by grade 3
• 2016 Data NPAS MCA Proficiency compared to state

Student Support:

• K-5 students are given literacy and math assessments 3x/year to track growth and identify students at risk of meeting grade level proficiency. Students are monitored through FAST testing (Formative Assessment System for Teachers) in reading and math and the Fountas and Pinnell reading assessment. (The FAST assessment is aligned to the Common Core math and ELA standards.) After analyzing data, interventions are utilized with identified students during time that is outside of the core instruction. Teachers also use their PLC time to create and analyze common formative assessments which are aligned to their grade level academic standards.
• Our middle school is organized in a house concept that allows for teachers to collaborate on a weekly basis to discuss instructional practices and reflect on student assessment data that is aligned to the state standards. Students may be identified at risk based on their data through the FAST assessment (3x/year) and/or common formative assessments. Math and reading interventionists are available. MCA scores are used to gauge growth as a grade level to continually improve.
• Our high school students have a systemic intervention time available for all students during the regular school day for students who are not meeting academic standards. Students are identified as not meeting standards based on their progression with common formative assessments. Staff analyze results during weekly collaboration time.
• Districtwide, a new data warehouse was implemented to streamline data and track common formative assessments in a systematic way for all teachers and principals to see specifically what standards students need support with.
• Our MCA data is disaggregated by student groups to determine how we are closing the achievement gap. Building and district achievement goals are then created based on this analysis

Teacher and Principal Support:

• The New Prague Area School District prides itself on being exemplary in the areas of curriculum and instruction, and professional development for all staff. The “New Prague Way” is a motto that helps us model a commitment to excellence for our entire school community.
• Mentoring non-tenured teachers and further developing tenured teachers falls upon an extensive system called Teacher Mentorship. A Teacher Mentor supports, engages, and educates all staff not only in the best practices of teaching, but also in the areas of curriculum and instruction.
• The art of curriculum and instruction starts with staff development. Numerous district committees are formed to implement, develop, and improve best practices. District administration utilizes both Minnesota and local assessments to determine the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction for all students.
• Teacher and principal evaluations begin with appropriate and current professional development to engage and support all staff in high levels of learning. The district prides itself on offering intradistrict and out of district conferences, conventions, and other PD opportunities for all staff.
  • Evaluations of all staff begin with goal setting for the current year. The use of Peer Review and Charlotte Danielson models are used to evaluate all certified teaching staff.
  • Quarterly face-to-face meetings for administration are utilized by our district superintendent.

District Support:

The district’s overarching values of allocating time and support for technology integration and professional learning communities are established in the district strategic plan. Systems have been established to carry out the integration of technology through extensive professional learning opportunities, both in-district and outside of district. Strategies for both technology integration and professional learning communities are developed from best practices, intra-district staff development, and ongoing professional development.

The above paragraph identifies how our district provides intensive technology training and professional learning community (PLC) development for adults. This work prepares teachers to provide and offer current teaching strategies for our students. With the support of technology training, K-12 administration has scheduled dedicated time for our teachers to evaluate student data in their PLCs to better differentiate their curriculum and teaching strategies based on the students’ needs.

To provide our district staff the most up to date teaching methods in both technology and PLCs, our district staff development committee, administration, and technology department offers and provides the following:

• New Teacher workshop and technology integration training
• Powerful Learning Conference (annual New Prague regional conference)
• TIES Educational Conference
• Ongoing Technology Integration Coaches support for all teachers
• Yearly professional learning communities training

The ongoing development of technology integration and PLCs are assessed and improved through the specific feedback from our annual surveys (e.g., BrightBytes technology survey, Staff Development Survey, Parent & Staff Survey.

• Equitable Access to Excellent Teachers:
  • Our hiring process: each Spring, our three elementary principals reflect on the grade levels to look for any inconsistencies of experienced/inexperienced teachers; this guides teacher movement for the upcoming school year and identifies which grade(s) and which school(s) will be posting for applicants. Our principals move and average out their sections to make certain each grade level has a combination of new staff, median aged staff and veteran staff. In the summer, through student clustering placement, administration and teachers identify at-risk students and cluster those students appropriately with previously identified staff members to even out distribution. The data we use to ensure equality includes years of experience, level of education and test scores (in applicable grades). Through the clustering process, our administration assures all minority children and low-income children have equal access to our best teachers.