Eden Prairie Schools was recognized in the highest five percent of schools in the state for individual indicators under the Minnesota Department of Education’s new North Star accountability system.
Central Middle School and all six elementary schools received top recognitions including English Learner Progress (Cedar Ridge), Math and Reading Progress for Asian students (Cedar Ridge, Forest Hills, Prairie View, Oak Point, Central Middle School), Overall Reading Progress (Eagle Heights), Reading Progress for Hispanic/Latino students (Eagle Heights, Prairie View), and Reading Progress for multiracial students (Eden Lake, Central Middle School).
For the past three years, Eden Prairie Schools has seen an overall increase in academic achievement in both math and reading under the state’s new North Star accountability indicators.
“We are pleased our learners continue to grow in both reading and math achievement,” said senior director of personalized learning Michelle Ament. “We attribute this to our outstanding teaching staff who are committed to consistent professional learning in high quality instruction and curriculum.”
North Star includes five separate accountability indicators on a three-year average between 2016 and 2018. Measures include the academic achievement rate, progress toward English Language proficiency, graduation, academic progress and consistent attendance.
In addition to an overall increase in achievement in reading and math, Eden Prairie Schools’ student attendance rates were 89 percent and above over the last three years.
“High attendance rates are a clear sign our learners want to be in school because they feel welcome, cared for, safe and connected here,” added Ament.
Eden Prairie High School was identified for comprehensive support in its four-year graduation rate for English Learners, Hispanic students, special education students, and students eligible for free and reduced priced meals.
“As part of our modified school improvement planning process, Eden Prairie Schools has included frequent and intentional check-ins to monitor our improvement efforts and ensure we are meeting the learning needs of our students who are not meeting this target," said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Stacie Stanley. “We will continue our commitment to each student and ensure we have supports in place to help them be successful.”
Eden Prairie High School’s 7-year graduation rate remains strong with an improvement of 8.3 percentage points in the last three years. Hispanic and Latino students grew 22 percentage points from 73 percent to 95 percent. English Learners made a 45-point percentage gain from 50 percent to 95 percent. While the TASSEL transition program designed for 18- to 21-year-old students with disabilities had a graduation rate of 88 percent last year and 91 percent the year before.
In addition, Eden Prairie High School continues to maintain the largest average percentage of graduates who attend college compared to any of our counterparts in the Lake Conference (Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Wayzata) and beyond.
According to statistics from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), an average of 88 percent of Eden Prairie High School students from 2014 to 2016 enrolled in college during their first year after high school. An impressive 95 percent of EPHS students who graduated in 2014 and 93 percent in 2015 persisted on to their second year of college.
Eden Prairie High School students also continue to take advantage of the many opportunities to enroll in more rigorous courses. Over a third of students participated in Advanced Placement courses and last year, 1,687 students participated in additional advanced course offerings. Over 95 percent of students have also set academic and social/emotional goals as the district works to inspire each student every day.
“Eden Prairie Schools strives to provide a well-rounded education for our students that not only focuses on academic preparedness, but also skills that will prepare them to succeed in their future careers,” said Superintendent Dr. Josh Swanson. “Our continued focus on personalized learning inspires students to be strong communicators, critical thinkers, collaborators and be creative in their thinking. In addition, 90 percent of our students participate in community give-back projects as contributing citizens to our community and the world around them. These combined efforts are connected to our mission to inspire each student so they are empowered to reach personal fulfillment and contribute to our ever-changing world.”
North Star is the Minnesota Department of Education’s implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced the No Child Left Behind law. Parents and community members can review North Star data for schools and districts by visiting the Minnesota Report Card.