Students exceed state proficiency average

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

New York Mills students made some big gains on state standardized testing during the 2021-22 school year. 

According to the recently released Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment results, nearly 20 percent more students were deemed proficient in science than last year as a whole, and approximately 12 percent more students were deemed as proficient in math than in 2021. 

Some of the biggest gains, in terms of proficiency, came in science as 50.7 percent of NY Mills science students who took the test were deemed as proficient. That number blew past the state average of 41 percent. It was also a large increase over 2021 when just 32 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in science. 

In math, 53.2 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in math, compared to 44.6 percent in 2021. The statewide proficiency average in 2022 was 44.8 percent.

A closer look at the results show some impressive numbers as 76 percent of all NY Mills third grade students were deemed as proficient in math, compared to 58.8 percent last year. The statewide average was 58.8 percent proficient. In reading the third grade had 46 percent of its students deemed as proficient, compared to a state average of 47.8 percent. 

The school district also made a tremendous jump in fifth grade as 48.9 percent of its students were deemed as proficient in math. Last year just 10 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient, while the state average this year was 42.9 percent proficient. 

In science, a total of 63.8 percent of fifth students were deemed as proficient in science, which was significantly above the state average of 28.6 percent. Just one year ago just 33.3 percent of NY Mills fifth graders were deemed as proficient in science.

In reading the fifth grade class also took a big step ahead as 63.8 percent of fifth graders were deemed as proficient, compared to 45 percent last year and a statewide average of 59.3 percent. 

The junior class nearly doubled the state proficiency average in math as 63.5 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in science, while the state average was just 36.3 percent. Last year just 48.9 percent of NY Mills juniors were deemed as proficient in science. The juniors also exceeded the state average by double digits as 57.8 percent of students were deemed as proficient in science, compared to 45.3 percent of students across the state. Just one year ago just 43.6 percent of students were deemed as proficient in NY Mills, which was just below the state average.

While the school district had some big gains in math and science, NY Mills was below the state average in reading as a whole. In 2022 48.7 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in reading, compared to the state average of 51 percent. 

Other highlights from the tests

In fourth grade 50 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in math, while the state average was 56.2 percent. In reading a total of 41.9 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient reading, while the state average was 49.5 percent. Last year a total of 52.4 percent of NY Mills fourth graders were proficient in reading. 

At sixth grade, 45.3 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in math, while the state average was 41.5 percent. The sixth graders also exceeded the state average in reading as 59.1 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient, compared to a state average of 54.4 percent. 

In seventh grade, 35.8 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in math, while the state average was 50.8 percent. In reading the seventh graders dipped below the state average as 31.5 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient, while the state average was 45.3 percent. 

In eighth grade, 56 percent of students were deemed as proficient in math, while the state average was 39.8 percent. Last year just 41 percent of NY Mills students were deemed proficient in math in eighth grade. The eighth grade class also exceeded the state average in science as 32 percent of students were deemed proficient, while the state average was just 28.6 percent. Last year 20 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient in science. 

NY Mills eighth graders exceeded the state average in reading as 49 percent of students were deemed as proficient, while the state average was 46.1 percent. 

The sophomore class fell just below the state average in reading as 50 percent of NY Mills students were deemed as proficient, compared to a state average of 54.9 percent.