At the end of each school year students at Olson Middle School take a statewide test (MCA). The data looks at proficiency, growth and achievement gap reduction.
The proficiency percentage indicates the students who received a composite proficiency level score of five or greater and received proficiency level scores of four or greater in each of the individual domains of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Olson’s math proficiency declined slightly from 14 to 11 percent while reading increased from 21 to 24 percent.
Growth looks at how much the students have grown from one MCA test year to the next. At Olson 59 percent of the students had a medium-high growth in math and 71 percent had a medium-high growth in reading. This means that a majority of Olson students have at least one year’s growth in reading and math.
Olson has students growing in reading at the same rate as the highest performing middle schools in the Minneapolis school district.
Statically, schools with students receiving higher free and reduced lunch (FRL) have a lower proficiency and growth in reading. However, even though Olson has a high rate of students in this category it has a growth pattern that compares to middle schools with a lower poverty rate.
The MCA test is a snap shot of how a student did on taking a particular test. It doesn’t show how much the student has learned throughout the year or how they are learning to believe in themselves. If you would like to volunteer or help out at Olson call at 612-668-1640.
Submitted by Nancy Marks-Becker