SLP Science Test Scores Drop Slightly

In the first year of a , St. Louis Park students saw their state science test scores drop slightly.

According to data released by the Minnesota Department of Education on Friday, 46 percent of students across the district met or exceeded standards in the MCA-II science test, which was administered in March statewide to fifth-graders, eighth-graders and high school students.

In 2010, 52 percent of St. Louis Park students hit the mark.

In the chart below, you can compare St. Louis Park results to state results by grade level, and also see how each local school fared.

The fairly mediocre numbers across the state had Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius stressing that improvement is needed.

“The 2011 Science MCA-II results, like the NAEP scores and others we’ve seen over the past few months, reinforce our need to approach science and math education with a sense of urgency,” Cassellius said in a press release. “While we see some slight gains among some groups of students, they are not enough to ensure all of our kids will be able to compete in a global economy.”

As the 2011-12 school year approaches, St. Louis Park Patch will further analyze what these test results mean—and how school officials are reacting.

State (2011)

SLP Public Schools (2010)*

* - In 2010, the schools tallied for the fifth grade count were Cedar Manor (now closed), Susan Lindgren and Park Spanish Immersion