How Did Your Child's School Perform on State Tests?

Hopkins and Minnetonka school districts saw some test results drop a bit following changes to how students took mandatory assessments.

• Use the search tools above to compare how individual schools did.

Math

Students in third through eighth grade and 11th grade took the math test in the spring. In the past, students could take the math test up to three times and keep their best scores. However, they were only allowed to take the test once in 2013. 

At Hopkins Public Schools, math proficiency ranged from, 50.7 percent for seventh grade to 75.1 percent for fourth grade. But several grades saw declines from the previous year—notably seventh grade, which fell eight percentage points.

Minnetonka Public Schools’ scores were higher—ranging from 72.8 percent in 11th grade to 87 percent in third grade—but it saw even more declines. Sixth grade scores dropped a precipitous 10 points.

The local districts are hardly alone. Statewide, there was a slight decline in math scores, likely because of the changes.

“We can be proud of the fact that Minnesota is a pioneer in setting high expectations for students, and in using online testing that give more timely information to teachers and parents,” a news release quoted Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “It’s important to look at today’s tests results for what they are: a snapshot in time that tells us how students are doing in mastering our state standards. What is needed now is to focus our efforts and stop moving the goal posts so teachers and students have a consistent target to hit.”

Reading

Scores from the reading test, which administered to third through eighth grade and 10th grade, aren’t comparable to earlier years because 2013 was the first time students took the new test. That test has more difficult reading passages and more challenging questions, along with higher expectations for what qualifies as “proficiency.”

That led to proficiency rates between 59.1 and 69.5 percent for Hopkins and between 73.3 and 86.7 percent for Minnetonka.

“Anytime a new test based on new standards is given, a drop in scores is to be expected,” said Cassellius. “But setting high expectations is the right thing to do. If we want our students to compete in a global economy, we must continue to stretch and hold ourselves accountable for helping students meet higher standards.” 

Science

The science test is in its second year. Hopkins science scores ranged from 44.5 percent proficiency for eighth grade to 56 percent for high school. All grades increased their scores except for high school, which had a nearly 5 percentage point decline.

Minnetonka saw scores from every grade increase by a few percentage points. Its scores ranged from 68.7 percent for eighth grade to 83.2 percent for fifth grade.

With test results in, the next step is for the Minnesota Department of Education to release adequately yearly progress results and ratings on proficiency, student growth, closing the achievement gap and graduation rates. That should happen Oct. 1.