Alden-Conger Public School
World’s Best Workforce Report Summary
2014-2015
The World’s Best Workforce Plan (2013 Minnesota Statute, section 120B.11) is a comprehensive,
long-term plan focused on preparing every student for the workplace through supporting and improving
teaching and learning that is aligned with creating the world’s best workforce. The statute identifies
specific targets to determine if schools are striving to create The World’s Best Workforce. They include
the following:
 Closing the identified achievement gap(s) in the district
 Having all students ready for Kindergarten
 Having all students in third grade achieving grade level in literacy
 Having all students attaining career and college readiness before graduation from high school
 Having 100% of students graduate from high school
Alden-Conger School District’s Mission Statement:
The Alden-Conger Public School will be unsurpassed in emphasizing the highest student achievement
and producing capable, knowledgeable, creative, and responsible individual.
Student Achievement Goals:
The Alden-Conger School District is committed to assuring that all students gain the basic knowledge
and skills necessary to become life-long learners and productive and successful members of society.
The Minnesota Graduation Standards are a guide as we implement a curriculum that helps our students
learn to function effectively as purposeful thinkers, effective communicators, self-directed learners,
productive group participants, and responsible citizens.
Alden-Conger Public School Ongoing Improvement - Staff Development Plans:
Goal #1: Prepare staff to understand and appreciate all students; create safe, orderly and supportive learning
environments; and hold expectations for their academic achievement; and involve families and other
stakeholders appropriately.
Goal #2: Continue to support the curriculum cycle and educational initiative, which provides an inclusive
curriculum for a diverse student population.
Goal #3: Continue to support and strengthen the induction and mentoring programs for new staff.
Goal #4: Provide and support opportunities for rich professional development involving individuals, teams or
departments.
Goal #5: Provide support and evaluation for decisions related to student achievement based on long-term data
collection and other best practices methods.
Goal #6: Provide for the ongoing development of management skills for those involved in District
Leadership Team and other district leadership positions.
Goal #7: Money is allocated to support the leadership and teachers in the building where it will impact
professional development the most.
Goal #8: Provide the professional development programs that address licensure renewal requirements.
Identified Needs Based on Data
Alden-Conger School uses a comprehensive process to assess and evaluate student progress toward
college and career readiness standards. This process incorporates local, state, and national assessments.
These assessments are used to evaluate the achievement of students as well as program effectiveness.
Students are tested to determine instructional level, measure basic skills, and evaluate progress towards
meeting state academic standards. The data gained from the assessments is used to progress monitor
students, guide individual and whole group instruction, determine effectiveness of curriculum and to
determine students’ interventions and programming needs. Alden-Conger is committed to continuing to
look at ways to close the achievement gap and moving students forward in their growth.
Alden-Conger Assessments
 Reading MCA III Grades 3-8, 10 – MCA III test results measure progress toward mandates in the
federal No Child Left Behind legislation. The MCA III is a standardized test of academic skills in
Reading.
 Math MCA III Grades 3-8, 11 – MCA III test results measure progress toward mandates in the federal
No Child Left Behind legislation. The MCA III is a standardized test of academic skills in Mathematics.
 MCA Science Grades 5, 8 & 10 - MCA test results measure progress toward mandates in the federal No
Child Left Behind legislation. The MCA is a standardized test of academic skills in Science.
 ACT EXPLOREGrade 8 – Matches a student’s interests with potential career paths and provides
college readiness benchmarks.
 ACT PLAN Grade 10 – Matches a student’s interests with potential career paths, provides college
readiness benchmarks, and helps the students prepare for the ACT test in the future
 Accuplacer Grade 10, 11, 12 – Determines academic skills in relation to college readiness and used to
determine eligibility for PSEO and concurrent course work.
 PSAT Grade 11 – Determines a student’s college readiness.
 ASVAB Grade 11 – Provides information on a student’s aptitude and strengths in academics and
vocational/occupational skills.
 ACT COMPASS – Offered to students deemed not “college ready” based on the ACT PLAN.
 ACT Grade 11 – Provides a reportable score for college admissions and matches a student’s interests
with potential career paths.
 AIMS-Web Reading Grades K-6 - Benchmarking and Progress Monitoring
o
Kindergarten: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring & Progress Monitoring 7+ times throughout
the school year

o
1st Grade: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring & Progress Monitoring 7+ times throughout the
school year

o
LNF (Letter Naming Fluency) LSF (Letter Sound Fluency) PSF (Phonemic
Segmentation Fluency)
PSF (Phonemic Segmentation Fluency NWF (Nonsense Word Fluency)
Reading Fluency)
R-CBM (Oral
2nd-6th Grade: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring & Progress Monitoring 7+ times throughout
the school year

R-CBM (Oral Reading Fluency) MAZE (Reading Comprehension Fluency)
 AIMS-Web Math Grades K-6 - Benchmarking and Progress Monitoring
o
Kindergarten: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring

o
o
OCM (Oral Counting Measurement) NIM (Number Identification Measurement) QDM
(Quantity Discrimination Measurement) MNM (Missing Number Measurement)
1st Grade: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring & Progress Monitoring 7+ times throughout the
school year

Benchmarked ONLY- OCM (Oral Counting Measurement) NIM (Number Identification
Measurement) QDM (Quantity Discrimination Measurement) MNM (Missing Number
Measurement)

Benchmarked and Progress Monitored M-Comp (math computation)
2nd-6th Grade: Benchmarking Fall, Winter, Spring & Progress Monitoring 7+ times throughout
the school year

M-Comp (Math Computation) M-CAP (Math Concepts and Applications)
 Dolch Sight Words Assessment Checklists – Administered several times throughout the year to monitor
progress K-3
 Reading and Math Formative and Summative Classroom Assessments Grades K-12
2014-2015 District Academic Student Goals
1. The percentage of all students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in Alden-Conger Public Schools
who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards of Exceeds the Standards on the Math MCA III will
increase from 59% in 2014 to 65% in 2015.
2. The percentage of Free and Reduced Lunch students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in AldenConger Public Schools who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the Standards on
the Math MCA III will increase from 47% in 2014 to 55% in 2015.
3. The percentage of Special Education students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in Alden-Conger
Public Schools who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the Standards on the Math
MCA III will increase from 24% in 2014 to 30% in 2015.
4. The percentage of all students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in Alden-Conger Public Schools
who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the Standards on the Reading MCA III will
increase from 57% in 2014 to 67% in 2015.
5. The percentage of Free and Reduced Lunch students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in AldenConger Public Schools who earn an achievement level or Meets the Standards of Exceeds the Standards on
the Reading MCA III will increase from 48% in 2014 to 55% in 2015.
6. The percentage of Special Education students enrolled October 1, 2014 in grades 3-11 in Alden-Conger
Public Schools who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the Standards on the
Reading MCA III will increase from 33% in 2014 to 40% in 2015.
Title I Goals
Alden-Conger Elementary identifies students not at grade level and not making their goal for
improvement for the year by reviewing the fall to winter and winter to spring results from AIMSweb
benchmarking. Priorities of focus are to continue to work on increasing proficiency levels in reading
fluency and comprehension. We measure improvement in these two areas using our AIMSweb data.
In addition, we are focusing on mastery of Dolch words throughout the entire elementary with a
major emphasis in the primary grades. Students in kindergarten and 1st grade focus on decoding
nonsense words to ensure mastery of phonetic concepts.
Support Category
Students
 Special Education Instruction – Alden-Conger special education teachers include
o Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD),
Developmentally Cognitively Delayed (DCD), Specific Learning Disability (SLD),
Speech/Language, Social Worker
 Special Education Paraprofessionals – support to assist students with reading and math needs and
interventions
 Special Education Child Study Team- meets regularly to address students who have been referred by
the classroom teacher in need of additional support or interventions
 Special Education Resource Room – for classroom support and help with classroom assignments
 Title I – paraprofessionals to assist students in grades K-5 on reading and math needs and interventions
 Title I – K-5 SOAR to Success reading intervention for at-risk students
 Elementary Reading Interventions – support individual student needs Explode the Code, Road to the
Code, SRA, Read Naturally, PALS Peer Assisted Learning Strategy, Sight Word Practice for Every Type
of Learner
 Elementary Math Interventions - IXL, flash cards, Ipad math activities, manipulatives,
 Targeted Services – after school program for at-risk K-5 students focusing on reading, math, and social
skills
 Elementary Guided Reading Groups – data driven groups to support individual students at their
personal level
 Elementary Summer Enrichment Program – at-risk students in grades K-5 can participate in at home
enrichment program activities to help reduce the “summer slide”
 Early Childhood Family Education - preschool and family education and support
 Academic Advisor/Counselor- counselor available to middle and high school students to provide
academic help/preparation, college and post high school applications, scholarship applications, and assist
with other post high school student issues
 K-12 School Social Worker – social worker is available to K-12 students, families, and staff to provide
support and assistance
 Middle School/High School Flex Period - provides additional teacher assistance for students needing
extra support in curricular areas
 PSEO Opportunities - students are given the opportunity to participate in free college level classes
through Riverland Community College in Austin and Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall
 Concurrent Enrollment Classes- Alden-Conger offers 12 concurrent classes to juniors and seniors.
Classes include: American Government & Politics, Academic Writing, College Algebra, Trigonometry,
Calculus, Freshman English, Writing from Library Sources, Creative Writing: Prose and Poetry, English
Literature, Intro to Literature, and American Literature, and College Success Strategies
Teachers and Principals
 Teacher Evaluation Plan – this plan was developed by a collaborative effort of teachers, administrators,
and leadership team members. The plan is focused around Marzano’s Teacher Evaluation Framework.
Process- observations, peer observations, growth plans with SMART goals and action steps
 Professional Learning Communities- meet formally for a half day approximately one time a month and
informally several times throughout the school year.
 Leadership Team – includes teachers from elementary, middle school, high school, special education,
and administration
 3rd – 6th Grade Level MCA Meeting – teachers and administration looking at scores, trends, and
curriculum
 Professional Development –consists of 4 full days and 6 ½ days; focus on teacher evaluation, meeting
with PLCs, teacher improvement, license renewal classes, bullying in-service, curriculum
alignment/planning
Systemic, Building or District
 Professional Development –consists of 4 whole days and 6 ½ days; focus on teacher evaluation,
meeting with PLCs, teacher improvement, license renewal classes, bullying in service, curriculum
alignment/planning, focus on improving student learning
 Common Planning – elementary common planning time for teachers in K-1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6
 Curriculum Mapping – grades K-12 teachers aligning curriculum to Minnesota state standards to ensure
all standards are being taught throughout the school district
 Peer Mentoring Program – new staff are mentored by veteran staff member for the first two years of
employment, mentors and mentees attend training throughout the school year
 Leadership Team - includes teachers from elementary, middle school, high school, special education,
and administration
Best Practice Strategies and Action Steps
 Curriculum--The Alden-Conger School district has adopted resources that align with the
Minnesota Academic Standards in Reading, Math, and Science. Alden-Conger teachers have
designed, and will continue to create, curriculum maps for content areas in reading, math,
science, and social studies. Curriculum maps are used to identify gaps and duplications within
the curriculum. Alden-Conger School district will continue to monitor and review curriculum on
a yearly basis to ensure effectiveness of curriculum. Data from MCA assessments, as well as
data from other district testing, will be reviewed yearly to enhance or change the curriculum and
instructional practices.
 Professional Development – ½ days monthly, beginning of the school year
 Professional Learning Committees
 Special Education Monthly Child Study Meetings
 All Licensed and Paraprofessional Staff Monthly Meetings
 Leadership Team Committee Meetings and Trainings
Current Student Achievement Plans
 Alden-Conger Local Literacy Plan (K-5)
 School Readiness Program Plan
 Title I Grant Application w/goals and narrative
 Title II Grant Application w/goals and narrative
 Teacher/Principal Evaluation Plan
 Staff Development Plan
Key Indicators of Implementation Progress
 MCA growth
 Reduce the achievement gap in reading and math
 AIMSweb benchmarking show growth in areas
 Increased % of Third graders proficient in achieving grade level literacy goals
 Increased % of students meeting “ready for Kindergarten”
 Nearly 100% Graduation Rates – College and Career Readiness
Broad Outcomes Impacted
All Students Ready for Kindergarten
Alden-Conger School Readiness program is rated a Four-Star Parent Aware preschool program
from the Minnesota Department of Education. Alden-Conger offers preschool school readiness
classes to children 3-5 years of age. The district feels that early childhood is where the most
difference can be made and therefore fully supports early childhood programming. Starting in
the 2015-2016 school year, Alden-Conger will be increasing the hours/days of the School
Readiness program. It will increase for the 3 year olds from 2 hours/2 days a week to 3
hours/2days a week. The 4 year olds will increase from 2 hours/ 3 days a week to 3 hours/3 days
a week. This program is offered free to any child in the school district, and out of the school
district if planning on open enrolling into Alden-Conger.
Alden-Conger District offers fall, winter, and spring ECFE parent/child classes, serving families
and children ages birth through kindergarten entrance. Alden-Conger partners with the
following programs and services for children and families: Alden-Conger kindergarten teachers,
administration and staff, Freeborn County Family Services Collaborative, district Early
Childhood Special Education, our district speech and language clinician, Alden-Conger Early
Childhood Screening Team and Freeborn County Public Health. Alden-Conger preschool uses
the PreK Houghton Mifflin Reading curriculum (Parent Aware approved curriculum) and the
Desired Results Developmental Profile – Preschool (DRDP-PS, 2010) (Parent Aware approved
assessment). The curriculum and assessment are shared with parents as needed throughout the
year and during the twice yearly conferences. Alden-Conger preschool holds a Kindergarten
Round-Up Night in March every year, as well as a Kindergarten Transition Day in May. When
possible, Early Childhood Special Education students may be integrated with Early Childhood
Family Education/School Readiness classes to prepare for kindergarten entry.
Alden-Conger’s high-quality, Parent Aware approved ECFE/SR curriculum, assessments and
collaborations provide children with the means to enter MN kindergarten classrooms
successfully. Unmet needs of children with high needs, are referred to the most appropriate
country, region or state agency through ECFE/SR, Alden-Conger school district professional
learning teams, including, but not limited to, early childhood special education, administration,
early childhood screening team, Freeborn Country Public Health, and other services as needed.
Alden-Conger School partners with these groups to service families and children as soon as
possible for the benefit of children’s early learning and readiness for kindergarten entry.
Starting in the 2015-2016 school year, the curriculum used in Alden-Conger’s School Readiness
preschool program will align with the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, which is the state
suggested standard for preschool. The Early Childhood Indicators of Progress is a framework of
understanding and communicating a common set of developmentally appropriate expectations
for child in the preschool period of ages three to five. Along with aligning the curriculum to
ECIP, the school readiness teacher will continue to collaborate closely with the kindergarten
teachers throughout the school year to ensure smooth transitions into kindergarten.
Preschool Assessment:
DRDP-PS Desired Results Developmental Profile – assesses self and social development
o Self and Social Development
o Language and Literacy Development
o English Language Development
o Cognitive Development
o Mathematical Development
o Physical Development
o Health
SMART GOAL: Alden-Conger School is striving to assure that all students come to
kindergarten are equipped with the necessary skills. Approximately 95% of the students starting
kindergarten will have met the developmental level of building or integrating determined by the
DRDP-PS assessment.
Preschool Screening: Preschool screening is done between the ages of 3 and 4 years old and is
held two times a year in October and February. DIAL 3 Screener is used for the screening.
Public Health, Special Education Teacher, Speech Teacher, School Readiness Teacher, and
District’s Social Worker are all a part of the screening process.
All Students in Third Grade Achieving Grade-Level Literacy
In order to ensure that all students are reading by the end of third grade, Minnesota requires that
all curriculum, instruction, and assessment needs to be aligned with current research-based
practices. Districts are required to examine their current practices and implement local literacy
plans. The Alden-Conger Elementary staff members understand the importance of early literacy
skills and are committed in providing early reading instruction beginning in preschool and
kindergarten in hopes of closing the achievement gap in reading. The primary reading goal for
all students attending Alden-Conger Elementary to read at grade level or above grade level by
the end of their third grade school year. Alden-Conger Elementary is dedicated to ensuring all
third graders are able to read fluently and demonstrate high levels of comprehension.
Alden-Conger Elementary literacy goals are based on the five areas of reading: phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension.
Alden-Conger Elementary implements a variety of reading programs and strategies in order to
better meet the reading needs of all students. A special focus is on those students who are not
proficient based on their benchmark screenings. These programs/strategies include: a focus on
reading fluency interventions for all K-5 students for 5-7 minutes daily, focus on nonsense words
in K-1, focus on memorization of DOLCH sight words in grades K-3, SOAR to Success Reading
Intervention for small groups of at-risk students, AIMSweb benchmarking in the Fall, Winter,
and Spring for all K-5 students, and AIMSweb progress monitoring administered every 2-3
weeks depending on individual student’s needs.
Alden-Conger Elementary has created SMART goals for each area of reading. The data
collected for each SMART goal will help determine if K-2 students are receiving the reading
instruction and reading interventions/support needed so all K-2 students are on track for “reading
well” by third grade. SMART goals are based on the reading areas formally assessed at the end
of each school year. Proficiency is based on AIMSweb spring default targets for each grade
level.
SMART GOAL = Phonemic Awareness
The percentage of kindergarten students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger School who
will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb LNF (letter naming fluency) spring
benchmark assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
The percentage of kindergarten students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger School who
will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb LSF (letter sound fluency) spring benchmark
assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
SMART GOAL = Phonics
The percentage of kindergarten and first grade students enrolled before October 1 in AldenConger School who will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb PSF (phonemic
segmentation fluency) spring benchmark assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
The percentage of first grade students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger School who
will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb NWF (nonsense word fluency) spring
benchmark assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
SMART GOAL = Oral Reading Fluency
The percentage of first – third grade students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger School
who will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb R-CBM (oral reading fluency) spring
benchmark assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
SMART GOAL = Comprehension
The percentage of second – third grade students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger
School who will meet the proficiency targets on the AIMSweb MAZE(silent reading
comprehension) spring benchmark assessment will increase an average of 2% each year.
SMART GOAL = Third Grade Reading Proficiency
The percentage of third grade students enrolled before October 1 in Alden-Conger School who
will earn an achievement level of Meets the Standard or Exceeds the Standard on the Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessment in Reading (MCA III) will increase an average of 5% each year.
To view of copy of the entire Alden-Conger Public School Local Literacy Plan is available on
the Alden-Conger Public School website.
Closing Achievement Gap(s)
Multiple Measures Report (MMR): The Multiple Measures Report is the Minnesota Department of
Education’s accountability system that is focused on measuring the progress of closing the achievement
gap and promoting high growth for all students. A Multiple Measurements Rating (MMR) is given to all
schools in the state on an annual basis and measures school performance in the areas of proficiency,
growth, achievement gap reduction, and graduation rates. A second rating, the Focus Rating (FR) is also
used to measure a school’s success in reducing achievement gaps between student groups. The system
measures the academic growth of students in one year in the areas listed. Students should progress one
year for each year in school. For students who are behind, the growth goals are accelerated.
Alden-Conger Multiple Measurement Rating – MMR
Alden-Conger Elementary-
Multiple Measurement Designation- This school has not been designated as a Priority, Focus,
Continuous Improvement, Celebration Eligible or Reward School.
A-C Elementary Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) 48.59%
Alden-Conger High SchoolMultiple Measurement Designation- This school has not been designated as a Priority, Focus,
Continuous Improvement, Celebration Eligible or Reward School.
A-C High School Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) 46.99%
To review Alden-Conger School and other school districts’ Multiple Measurement Rating go to
www.edcuation.state.mn.us . Click on the Data Center tab on the main page and go to Data Reports
and Analytics.
Using the MMR data for the elementary and high school, Alden-Conger School will provide
support to teachers and administration through a variety of means to close achievement gaps for
student groups.
Alden-Conger has a large enough cell size to identify achievement gaps in two categories;
students in special education and students qualifying for free and reduced (FRP) meals as
compared to non-special education students and non-FRP students.
SMART GOAL: The proficiency gap between the FRP students and the Non-FRP students in math
will decrease from 20% in 2014 to 10% in 2017.
SMART GOAL: The proficiency gap between the Special Education students and the Non-Special
Education students in math will decrease from 40% in 2014 to 20% in 2017.
SMART GOAL: The proficiency gap between the FRP students and the Non-FRP students in reading
will decrease from 16% in 2014 to 10% in 2017.
SMART GOAL: The proficiency gap between the Special Education students and the Non-Special
Education students in reading will decrease from 30% in 2014 to 20% in 2017.
Alden-Conger School District’s Plan for Closing the Achievement Gap:
o Curriculum aligned to the MN state standards
o Benchmarking and Progress Monitoring (K-6) to monitor progress and provide interventions for
individual student’s needs
o Improve home / school communication – build relationships with parents and students
o Ongoing teacher training focusing on teacher improvement
o Implement research-based interventions
o Keep class size low in the primary grades
o Extended School Year (ESY) for qualifying Special Education Students
o Summer Enrichment Program for at-risk elementary students
o After School Targeted Services program for at-risk K-5 students
All Students Career- and College-Ready by Graduation
College & Career Readiness: Students are considered college and career ready when they have
the knowledge, skills, and academic preparation needed to enroll and succeed in introductory
college credit-bearing courses within an associate or baccalaureate degree program without the
need for remediation. The measurement of college readiness will come from the Explore, Plan
and ACT suite of tests. These assessments have a college and career readiness measurement
component. The EXPLORE is taken in the 8th grade, the PLAN in 10th and the ACT in
11th grade.
Examples of Opportunities in Grades 7-12
Job shadowing: Grades 9 and 11/12
Career Fairs: Grades 7/8 and 11
College Fairs: Grades 11/12
College Visits: Grades 7/8. 11
Career Education: Grade 8 R.E.A.D.Y. for High School (Reality, Exploration, and Discovery of Yourself),
Careers 9, Life and Careers Class
Academic Advisor/Counselor: counselor available to middle and high school students to provide academic
help/preparation, college and post high school applications, scholarship applications, and assist with other post
high school student issues
Concurrent Enrollment and PSEO Courses: preparing students for education beyond high school graduation
College Planning Night: for sophomores, juniors, and their parents
Financial Aid Night: seniors and parent informational meeting
Freshman Orientation: incoming freshman and parents informational meeting
Scholarship Information: posted on website, school bulletin board, and daily announcements
Personal Learning Plans: students in graduating class of 2017 and beyond starting in 8th grade
College Knowledge Month: provide awareness of college options and application process
Assessment Opportunities in Grades 8-11: EXPLORE, PLAN, ACT, Accuplacer, COMPASS, ASVAB
Senior Meetings: individual fall meeting and spring exit interview
All Students Graduate
Alden-Conger has a fantastic graduation rate. Alden-Conger has had a nearly 100% graduation rate for
the past several years.