Byron board reviews reports at work session

In a brief presentation reviewing the statewide MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) tests, Superintendent Nate Walbruch presented charts with data from 2014 to 2025. He pointed out that statewide proficiency numbers dropped in either 2022 or 2023 because of a major change in how the test was organized. Also, he said, no testing was done in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.

He also explained that from a percentile rate perspective, the data showed just how well Byron does compared with other Minnesota schools.

The district is at the 93.01% percentile in math, 95.84% in reading, and 98.40% in science.

“I’ve worked in quite a few school districts, and I’ve never seen numbers anywhere near this before, in a really great way,” he said, describing the science number as “jaw dropping.” The science testing, he added, is not given yearly but only in 5th, 8th, and usually 10th grade, after the student has taken biology.

He added the MCA is a useful exam in some respects, but is only one of the metrics used to evaluate what’s happening in the district.

He also reviewed the Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness report, formerly known as World’s Best Workforce. The yearly report shows comprehensive, long-term strategic plans in four areas: all children ready for school, all racial and economic achievement gaps are closed, all students are ready for career and college and all students graduate from high school.

A fifth goal, that all students are prepared to be lifelong learners, was added for this year.

Byron schools publicly report on progress and submit a progress report to the Minnesota Department of Education by December.

The goals are set by the district’s leadership teams, Walbruch said.

Goal 1 is all children ready for kindergarten, he said, and in spring 2025, the district set a goal that 95% or greater for all students enrolled in preschool will meet all six end-of-year expectations. For 2025, 86% of the students met the goal. Walbruch said that in 2025, the state included three-year-olds in the total, as they plan to change the assessment for 2026.

Goal 2 is increasing the number of special education students who meet or exceed proficiency in reading to increase 5% or more. Unfortunately, Walbruch said, the district did not achieve that goal. It also missed the mark of a 5% increase in reading proficiency among low-income students.

Goal 3 is college and career readiness in four areas of testing in ACT, and the district did not meet the goal.

Goal 4 is to maintain a graduation rate at or above 98% of all eligible Byron High School students receiving a diploma. The state has not released graduation results yet for 2025.

Goal 5 is that in spring 2025, all seniors will have successfully completed and presented a Profile of a Graduate Life Plan. All seniors from the class of 2025 successfully presented their plan.