School gets 'excellent' state rating

McCOOK, Neb. —  Of the three McCook Public Schools eligible to be bumped up into a higher classification in the state’s ranking, only one made the cut.

All four schools in the districts, well as the district itself, were ranked as “Great” in the statewide accountability system, AQuESTT, (Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow). Under QAuESTT, the Nebraska Department of Education annually ranks schools and districts in four categories: Excellent, Great, Good and Needs Improvement. Schools used to be ranked numerically but the state legislature mandated in 2014 a more comprehensive form of accountability other than test scores.

Classifications were released Dec. 21 with 104, or the top 12 percent of schools in the state, eligible for an upwards adjustment of classification because they came close to the next higher level.

Three McCook Schools, Central Elementary, McCook Junior High and McCook High School, had high enough scores to be reviewed for potentially being re-classified from “Great” to “Excellent.” Of the three, Central Elementary was re-classified from great to excellent.

The district had four days to collect additional data for the review of the potential re-classification, said Superintendent Grant Norgaard during his presentation of McCook Public Schools annual report at the regular McCook Board of Education meeting Monday night. It was no small feat, as the additional data had to include how the schools addressed the six tenants AQuESTT. This amounted to about 30 computer folders of data, said Central Elementary principal Joel Bednar.

Norgaard also showed the board test scores from MPS and how students stacked up to the state average. Last years’ state assessments were given in a new format from previous years.

MPS students scored higher in every subject except in third-grade language arts, with the state scoring higher by two points. Norgaard also cited MPS seventh grade math, that outperformed the state average by three points but did not score as significantly higher as in other grades. While MPS consistently outperforms the state on assessments, the rest of the state is catching up, he said, with the state’s growth greater than MPS.

Board member Dennis Berry, formerly the principal at McCook Junior High for many years, stated that MPS has always scored higher than the state average, so schools who perform lower have more room to improve. “They’re catching up, but we’re not falling down,” he said.

Math standards have changed repeatedly during the years, added board president Tom Bredvick, citing at least four changes in the past 14 years he’s been on the board.

MPS assessment scores as compared to the state average, from last years’ testing, are:

English/Language arts:

Third grade: State, 2,481, MPS, 2,479

Fourth grade: State, 2,511, MPS, 2,522

Fifth grade: State, 2,531, MPS, 2,536

Sixth grade: State, 2,538, MPS, 2,554

Seventh grade: State, 2,549, MPS, 2,565

Eighth grade: State, 2,560, MPS, 2,577

Math:

Third grade: State, 1,192, MPS, 1,205

Fourth grade: State, 1,226, MPS, 1,236

Fifth grade: State, 1,241, MPS, 1,247

Sixth grade: State, 1,253, MPS, 1,287

Seventh grade: State, 1,254, MPS, 1,294

Science:

Fifth grade: State, 102, MPS, 110

Eighth grade: State, 102, MPS, 116

ACT: (juniors from last year)

State (no writing) 19.3, MPS, 20.7

Reading and writing: State, 18.6, MPA, 20.55

English/Language arts: State, 17.6, MPS, 20.85

Math: State, 18.9, MPS, 20

Science: State, 19.3, MPS, 20.8