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Written by: Jeff Drake

Category: Supt. News

Published: 08 December 2025

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I have written many times about our district's Portrait of a Graduate, which serves as our school district’s shared vision for the competencies and attributes we want every student to possess upon graduation. This vision guides our instruction, our programs, and our partnerships. Today, I want to focus on a truly vital component: Contributing Citizens.  Creating the environment that provides the structure and support for students to become contributing citizens represents our culminating goal.  

This isn't a passive concept; it's a commitment to ensuring our graduates are engaged, empathetic, and active members of our local and global communities. It is about moving learning beyond the classroom walls and connecting our students directly to the needs and opportunities right here in our community and beyond.

One of the most powerful engines for fostering this citizenship is our Work-Based Learning (WBL) program. This initiative does more than just prepare students for a career—it provides authentic learning experiences that embed them in the fabric of our community.

Through internships, apprenticeships, and job shadows, our students gain invaluable skills while solving real-world challenges faced by local businesses and organizations. They aren't just reading about collaboration or problem-solving; they are demonstrating these skills daily in professional settings. This direct exposure helps students understand how they can apply their knowledge to contribute to the local economy and social well-being, transforming abstract concepts of citizenship into tangible actions.  In return, our local businesses experience firsthand the talents and skills of our students.  

The spirit of a contributing citizen is perhaps nowhere more visible than in the phenomenal work of our student-led organizations.

The Key Club, the high school arm of the Kiwanis International family, is a wonderful model of leadership and service. Our students lead numerous service projects, from public service announcements highlighting the importance of mental health, to coordinating a book drive with the public library, assisting with local food drives and providing assistance with our local Habitat for Humanity organization. They are making a positive impact on our community. Their self-governance in planning and executing these projects provides them with critical leadership training while building their character by living out the core value of service.

Another key partner in this area is the Philanthropy and Youth (PAY) program. This unique opportunity empowers our students to act as a genuine foundation board, reviewing the work of area nonprofits and allocating real funds to these organizations. (Note - their funding source does not involve school district dollars.) The impact of the PAY program is twofold: it provides essential financial support to organizations doing vital work, and it teaches our students the principles of responsible philanthropy, community needs assessment, and ethical decision-making. These young philanthropists are learning firsthand how strategic giving can build a better community.

Finally, I want to recognize the incredible effort of our student athletes, NHS members, Key Club members and Work Based Learning students who recently lent their energy and enthusiasm to the United Way’s meal packing event.

It was inspiring to see these young men and women come together shoulder-to-shoulder with community members, to support a cause much larger than themselves. Their participation was critical to the event's success, helping to pack a thousand meals that will directly address food insecurity right here in our region. This level of dedication and selfless action is a powerful demonstration that our students are committed to using their time and talent to uplift their neighbors—a perfect example of a Contributing Citizen in action.

The development of a well-rounded graduate requires more than just high test scores; it demands character, compassion, and a commitment to service. I am exceptionally proud of our students, our staff, and our community partners who are working every day to bring our Portrait of a Graduate to life.

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Written by: Jeff Drake

Category: Supt. News

Published: 20 November 2025

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As I write this column, it is National Education Week and it  provides a wonderful opportunity to pause and reflect on the extraordinary work being done every day within the hallways of Fergus Falls Public Schools.

This week is about celebrating our educators, our paraprofessionals, our bus drivers, our cooks, our office staff, and every single person who contributes to the well-being and success of our students. Your commitment—often unseen, always essential—is the foundation of our success.

While test scores and graduation rates capture headlines, the true impact of public education is measured in the personal connections made daily. It’s the teacher who notices a quiet student and offers encouragement; it’s the custodian who shares a friendly word in the hallway; it’s the coach who teaches resilience long after the buzzer sounds.

These moments build the safety nets and launch pads our students rely on. They transform a school building from bricks and mortar into a community where every child feels seen and valued.

Last spring, by happenstance, I had the pleasure of meeting Otter Hall of Fame member, John Erickson.  He shared the impact this school district had on his life.  He recounted the people who gave him a chance.  The people who believed in him.  They represent generations of Otters who invested their lives not just in teaching students a curriculum, but in building character and nurturing dreams. That spirit continues today in every classroom and on every field.  

Read more: Supt. Drake: The Heart of Education—Connecting, Serving, and Empowering Every Otter

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Written by: Jeff Drake

Category: Supt. News

Published: 10 November 2025

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Now that the history is out of the way, how did the students at Fergus Falls do?   

Historically, I have used the MCA data to compare the achievement results of our school to that of neighboring schools and the state.  For our spring 2025 results, we compared our scores to Ashby, Battle Lake, Underwood, Rothsay, Alexandria, Moorhead, West Central Area, Detroit Lakes, Perham, Pelican Rapids, Breckenridge and Barnesville.  

While attempting to provide an apples to apples comparison, I use the brick and mortar results of Fergus Falls students.  I do not include the results of iQ Academy as those students are enrolled from across the state and many are part of our system for only a small portion of their overall education..  

District-wide, the top three schools for math proficiency were Battle Lake (64% proficiency), Fergus Falls (61% proficiency) and Barnesville (60% proficiency).  

District-wide, the top three school districts for reading proficiency were Battle Lake (63% proficiency) Fergus Falls (62% proficiency) and Barnesville (59% proficiency).

District-wide, the top three school districts for science proficiency were Fergus Falls (38% proficiency), Alexandria (33% proficiency) and a tie between Battle Lake and Detroit Lakes at (32% proficiency).  

So, which area school came out on top?  Well, there are different ways to consider that, but I am partial to the following: determine the top district by the average proficiency across math, reading and science.  That places Fergus Falls as the top academic school in the area (as measured by the MCAs) with an average proficiency score of 53.66%, Battle Lake was second with an average proficiency score of 53% and Alexandria was third with an average proficiency score of 47%.  Congratulations Fergus Falls!

Some people look at the proficiency percentages and ask why the scores aren’t higher.  That’s a fair question.   Each state was able to create their own response in meeting the federal expectations of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  To me, it would have made more sense to create a single test that was used by all states.  That said, Minnesota created its own assessment based on the Minnesota state standards. I was curious how our tests compared to other states.  The following analysis was produced using Google Gemini:

Comparing the MCAs to Other State Assessments

The consensus among educators and assessment experts is that the MCAs are generally considered comparable in rigor to other high-quality state assessments developed after the major shift to more complex, application-based standards (starting around 2010).

1. Alignment to Minnesota Standards

The MCAs are directly linked to Minnesota's academic standards, which are often cited as being quite rigorous, particularly in mathematics. Since the test must match the standards, the MCA math questions often require students to demonstrate a deeper conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills, rather than simple procedural knowledge.

2. The Impact of Cut Scores

A crucial factor in "difficulty" isn't just the test itself, but the cut score—the specific score needed to be deemed "proficient." States are free to set their own proficiency benchmarks. In the past, Minnesota’s proficiency rates were sometimes lower than other states, not necessarily because the test questions were dramatically harder, but because Minnesota chose to set a higher proficiency bar (a more demanding definition of "proficient") aligned with its state standards.

3. Comparison to Consortia Tests

Many states use assessments developed by large consortia, such as Smarter Balanced or PARCC. These tests are explicitly designed to measure complex standards. The MCAs, while locally developed, aim for a similar depth of knowledge (DOK) level, incorporating questions that require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, putting them on par with the rigor of these multi-state assessments.

Conclusion

The MCAs are not dramatically easier or harder than other state tests; they are specifically designed to measure the proficiency required by Minnesota's rigorous state standards.

One factor that does impact proficiency rates is the practice of parents opting students out of the exam.  This is a practice that is allowed by the Minnesota Department of Education.  This is the data from Fergus Falls from last spring:

2025 MCA Opt-Out Analysis

Total # of students who were opted-out of the MCAs in the spring of 2025:  222.

The opt-outs were broken down as follows:  

Cleveland:  2

FFMS:  26

FFHS:  129

FF ALC:  0

A further breakdown of the data at the high school level shows that the number of students who opt-out and are in the top ~ half of their class (and presumably more likely to test as proficient) are much more likely to opt-out than those ranking in the bottom portion of their class.

Fergus Falls parents of high school students are much more likely to opt their children out of the MCAs than the state average.  In the spring of 2025, the state participation average in math was 74.9% while in Fergus Falls it was 54.2%.  

The last column in this series will cover our district’s commitment in meeting all of our students where they are at whether they need additional academic support or academic challenge.  In the meantime, congratulations to our students and staff for having the top average proficiency scores across reading, math and science in the area!

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Written by: Jesse Thorstad

Category: Supt. News

Published: 03 November 2025

Hits: 671

This column continues a review of the assessments used by the district.  The primary function of assessments is to measure academic achievement, year to year student growth and student aptitudes across multiple areas.  Although not complete, the list will provide you with a good understanding of the district’s use of assessments.  Once again, this column utilized a combination of in-district expertise and Google Gemini to provide information on these tools.  

K-6 Literacy

mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition

mCLASS consists of a series of short, one-minute literacy assessments across a range of specific literacy skills. The skills assessed vary across grade levels but may include Letter Naming Fluency, Phonemic Segmentation Fluency, Nonsense Word Fluency, Word Reading Fluency, Oral Reading Fluency, Comprehension and Vocabulary.

K-2 Math and Literacy

NWEA MAP

MAP assesses students in grades K-2 in the areas of math and reading. K-2 students take MAP assessments 3x/school year to assess overall comprehension of literacy and math skills

Read more: Supt. Drake: Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment - Part 2