Perham elementary earns five-star rating

The statewide testing report that assesses reading and math proficiency also includes a "star" rating component.

Schools are graded from one to five stars. Reading and math are the main disciplines, but the schools are also awarded stars based on advanced academic opportunities, college level class offerings, and whether there are crisis management, harassment and drug education programs.

Perham schools performed well, compared to other schools with similar numbers of students receiving free and reduced lunches. Lunch statistics are a tool for the Department of Education in evaluating performance, because free and reduced meals are an "indicator," providing a snapshot of the income level in the district.

Following is a summary for each school, based on the annual comprehensive testing scores and the star rating system.

Heart of the Lakes Elementary School

Reading * * * * *

Math * * * * *

More than 30 percent of Heart of the Lakes students scored in the top level of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests.

Perham also earned a star for outstanding performance, based on the number of students qualify for free and reduced lunches. At Heart of Lakes school, nearly half of the students qualify--49 percent.

In math scores, nearly half not only met standards, but exceeded standards--at 47 percent of the students. This compares to only 31 percent of students statewide who exceeded the standards.

The attendance rate was 96.2 percent at Heart of the Lakes.

Dent Elementary

Reading * * * *

Math * * * *

Students at Dent Elementary fared well on the tests, especially based on the state's free and reduced lunch measurement. More than half of Dent students qualify for free and reduced lunches, at 56 percent.

The attendance rate is an impressive 97 percent.

Dent performed nearly as well as Perham Heart of the Lakes, but fewer students performed at the highest, Level 4, in math. In reading, Dent had slightly fewer students in the top 25 percent performance level.

Prairie Wind Middle

Reading * * * * *

Math * * *

Prairie Wind dropped a star from last year, from four down to three in math.

The middle school was well ahead of the state as far as the percentage of 8th grade students meeting or exceeding state math standards, at 68 percent. Statewide, the percentage was 56 percent. But the 31 percent of Perham 8th grade students performing below state proficiency standards was a factor in the three star grade.

In reading, 86 percent of Perham 8th graders were at or above state proficiency levels. Most importantly, Perham has an unusually high number of students who exceeded the standards--at 47 percent. With the statewide percentage for 8th graders at 33 percent, Perham's middle school earned its five star grade.

Attendance at Perham's middle school is solid, at 93.7 percent.

The percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunches at Prairie Wind is 37 percent .

Perham High School

Reading * * * *

Math * * * *

Perham High School moved up a star in math, from three to four.

Perham is on par with the state averages, with 29 percent of 11th grade students exceeding and meeting state standards. This compares to 30 percent across the state.

On the downside, 37 percent of Perham 11th graders did not meet the math standards. Statewide, the figure is higher, at 49 percent.

Reading scores, for the most part, matched the state percentages for 11th graders. A total of 34 percent of Perham students exceeded state standards, compared to 32 percent statewide.

On the lower end, Perham was even with the state percentage of grade 11 students who are not reading at a proficient level--15 percent.

Graduation rate at Perham High was 100 percent last year. Attendance rate was 94 percent.

NY Mills Elementary

Reading * * * *

Math * * *

In reading, grade school students held even with last year at New York Mills, in the state's star rating system.

More than 30 percent of the students tested scored at the top level of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment reading tests.

In math, however, the school earned a three star rating. Mills 6th graders tested 51.7 percent proficient--but 48.2 percent of the students were not proficient. The state average of students not proficient was 40.7 percent.

Fifty percent of the New York Mills elementary students qualify for free and reduced lunch. The attendance rate was 97.1 percent.

New York Mills High

Reading * * *

Math * * *

Math scores were lower than the state average at New York Mills High School. 77.5 percent of Mills students tested "not proficient" in math--compared to a state average of 70 percent.

For reading, 42 percent of 10th graders tested "not proficient," compared to 34 percent statewide.

Attendance rates were very good at NY Mills High, at 96.4 percent. The graduation rate is 98.3 percent.