2006-2007 Elmwood-Murdock Report Card

 

The Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools is proud to provide our district patrons with the eighth annual Elmwood-Murdock School District Report Card.  Our purpose is to provide district patrons a “snapshot” of our district’s present status relative to students, teachers and the district as a whole.  Due to the fact that school districts in Nebraska use differing measurements in evaluating student, teacher and district status, the report card should not be used to compare school districts.  The data used to develop this report card is based on data collected during the 2006-2007 school year.

 

As you will see, Elmwood-Murdock has good reason to be proud of our school district.  Student achievement levels continue to be high.  Based on comparative measurements, student achievement in the Elmwood-Murdock School District continues to meet or exceed state and national levels.  Graduation rates are high, exceeding the statewide averages and far exceeding the national averages.  Our teaching staff is endorsed at a high level in the subject areas they are assigned.  Financially, our district continues to demonstrate effective and efficient use of district funds in providing a quality educational experience for students.

 

The success of our students, teachers and district reflects support from our patrons, parents and communities who make education a high priority.  We need the continued support of our students, staff, parents, patrons and communities if we are to continue to be successful in providing a quality educational experience for our students. 

 

 

Superintendent                                                              Dan Novak  

 

Elmwood-Murdock Board of Education                       Joyce Vogt

                                                                                          Steve Backemeyer

                                                                                          Jesse Rust

                                                                                          Diann Stille

                                                                                          Mark Luetchens        

                                                                    Dave Oehlerking

                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

 

 

 

 

For the purpose of achievement testing in the Elmwood-Murdock School District during the 2006-2007 school year, the district utilized the Terra Nova Achievement Test for grades 3-8 and grade 11 and the PLAN Test for grade 10.  The purpose of achievement tests is to permit the comparison of students on a local, state and national level.  In Nebraska, six different achievement tests are widely utilized to measure student achievement.  All the tests vary in nature and, as a result, comparisons between schools are difficult.  Additionally, due to the small student sample tested in a district the size of Elmwood-Murdock, the test results can be easily skewed by a larger number of students scoring at either the high end or low end of the testing range.  Therefore, achievement testing in the Elmwood-Murdock School District is utilized as only one piece of information and must be interpreted together with other scores and indicators.  Most importantly, test data helps the district to understand educational patterns and practices.  Based on the analysis of the patterns and practices found in the testing, the district can make meaningful curricular and instructional changes to improve student learning.


 

 

STATE READING & MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENTS

 

District ratings show the quality of the district assessment used to measure student learning on the state standards and at what level of proficiency the students are performing on the standards.  The ratings by the Nebraska Department of Education indicate the assessments to be of very high quality with student proficiency levels on these assessments to be at a very high level.

The quality of the assessment influences the rating of students meeting standards. The goal for all school districts is to have high quality assessment and show improvement in student performance over time. The Assessment Quality ratings shown below are based upon the most recent District Assessment Portfolio reviews. We are proud to report the Assessment Quality as rated by the Nebraska Department of Education, was found to be exemplary. The ratings for Students Meeting the Standards are based upon the latest student performance on both reading and mathematics standards.

District ratings for assessment quality and performance reflect the performance of selected grades and not the entire school district.

 

 

State District Ratings
Reading 2006-2007

 

 

 

Unacceptable

Needs Improvement

Good

Very Good

Exemplary

Percentage of Students Assessed

Grade 4

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

¨

 

 

Students Meeting Reading Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

Grade 8

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

 

¨

 

Students Meeting Reading Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

Grade 11

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

 

¨

 

Students Meeting Reading Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

State District Ratings
Mathematics 2006-2007

 

 

 

Unacceptable

Needs Improvement

Good

Very Good

Exemplary

Percentage of Students Assessed

Grade 4

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

 

¨

 

Students Meeting or Exceeding Math Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

Grade 8

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

 

¨

 

Students Meeting or Exceeding Math Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

Grade 11

Assessment Quality

 

 

 

 

¨

 

Students Meeting or Exceeding Math Standards

 

 

 

 

¨

100.00%

 

STATE READING STANDARDS

 

The graph below provides information regarding the level of mastery on the state reading standards of Elmwood-Murdock students compared to students from across the State of Nebraska.  As you can see, students in grades 4 and 11 in the Elmwood-Murdock School District scored well above their counterparts at the state level.  Students in grade 8 scored slightly below their counterparts in the State of Nebraska on the State Reading Standards. Overall, we are especially proud of the high proficiency levels of our students on the state reading standards.  Students in grades 4, 8 & 11 will be assessed each year on their level of mastery of the state reading standards with their level of mastery of the state reading standards reported each year in the District Report Card.


NATIONAL STANDARDIZED READING ASSESSMENTS

 

Based on comparative measures on standardized tests, Elmwood-Murdock students scored better than students nationwide and statewide in reading.  For the purpose of comparative measurement, student scores have been reported according to the percentage of students scoring above the national average of 50%.  An average of seventy-one percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-5, 7-8 and grade 11 scored above the national average on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.  Comparatively, an average of sixty-five percent of Nebraska students scored above the national average on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test. 

 

Reading 2007        Grades 3-5 Comparison

 


Sixty-eight percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-5 scored above the national average in reading on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.  Comparatively, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grades 3-5 scored above the national average in reading on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.

 

 

Reading 2007        Grades 7-8 Comparison

Seventy-two percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 7-8 scored above the national average in reading on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.  Comparatively, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grades 7-8 scored above the national average on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.

 

Reading 2007             Grade 11 Comparison

 

Seventy-four percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grade 11 scored above the national average on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.  Statewide, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grade 11 scored above the national average in reading on their 2006-2007 standardized reading test.

 

 

 

STATE MATHEMATICS STANDARDS

 

The graph below provides information regarding the level of mastery on the state mathematics standards of Elmwood-Murdock students compared to students from across the State of Nebraska. As you can see, students in grades 4 & 8 in the Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools scored well above their counterparts at the state level.  Students enrolled in grade 11 scored slightly below the average of their counterparts from across the state.  Students in grades 4, 8 & 11 will be assessed each year on their level of mastery of the state mathematics standards with results reported each year in the District Report Card.

 

NATIONAL STANDARDIZED MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENTS

 

Overall, Elmwood-Murdock students scored better than students in Nebraska and nationwide in mathematics.  An average of seventy-three percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-5, 7-8 and grade 11 scored above the national average on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.  This compares to an average of sixty-five percent of students statewide.

 

Math 2007        Grades 3-5 Comparison

 


Eighty-two percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-5 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics tests.  Comparatively, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grades 3-5 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.

 

Math 2007          Grades 7-8 Comparison

 

Seventy percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 7-8 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.  Statewide, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grades 7-8 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.

National

Average
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Math 2007          Grade 11 Comparison

 

Sixty-eight percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grade 11 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.  Statewide, sixty-five percent of Nebraska students in grade 11 scored above the national average in mathematics on their 2006-2007 standardized mathematics test.


 

 

STATE WRITING STANDARDS

 

During the 2006-2007 school year, statewide writing assessments were administered to all students in grades 4, 8 and 11 to evaluate writing skills.  The writing assessments were administered to students in February 2007.  Students were given two 30-minute time frames in which to write their responses to a prompt selected by the Nebraska Department of Education.  Students’ papers were then sent to regional scoring centers where they were scored by trained raters according to a trait based writing model.  The Elmwood-Murdock School District takes great pride in reporting that grades 4,8, and 11 in the Elmwood-Murdock School District scored above the statewide average on the 2007 statewide assessments.

 

                Nebraska school districts received the results of the statewide testing in May 2007.  For the purpose of comparison, “cut scores” were established to determine the level at which a student was deemed to have the skills required for being a proficient writer.  An average of ninety-one percent of Elmwood-Murdock students who participated in the writing assessment were rated as having proficient writing skills.  Comparatively, an average of eighty-nine percent of Nebraska students were rated as having proficient writing skills.

 

  

 

ANNUAL YEARLY PROGRESS 2006-2007

 

In order for school districts to comply with federal education legislation “No Child Left Behind,” school districts must meet a series of state and federal student performance accountability standards.  I AM VERY PROUD TO REPORT THE ELMWOOD-MURDOCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS MET ALL STATE AND FEDERAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS DURING THE 2006-2007 SCHOOL YEAR.  This is the fourth year in a row that the Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools have met all the student performance accountability standards.  School districts failing to meet these standards are subject to various state and federal sanctions.  It is extremely difficult for a district to maintain the student performance accountability standards and, as a result, districts may not meet all the accountability standards on an annual basis. 

 
 
ACT

 

The ACT Test is a standardized aptitude test administered to students planning to continue their education at a college or university.  Colleges and universities, as a means of predicting how well students are likely to perform in some subsequent educational setting, use standardized aptitude tests, such as the ACT Test.  In essence, the ACT attempts to forecast how well high school students will perform in college.  Over the past five years, students in the Elmwood-Murdock School District, who have taken the ACT college entrance exam, have scored higher on average when compared to students statewide and nationally taking this exam. 

 

Traditionally, graduating seniors taking the ACT test  from the Elmwood-Murdock School District score at or above the national and state average.  In looking at ACT averages over the past five years for graduating seniors, the results indicate graduating seniors from the Elmwood-Murdock School District score above the state and national averages.  In 2006-2007, the graduating seniors taking the ACT scored at the state average and WELL ABOVE the national average.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

PLAN Testing

 

Students in the high school are administered various tests. For example, during the 10th grade year, the PLAN test from American College Testing (ACT) is administered.  The chart below reports the test areas comparing the national test averages and the Elmwood-Murdock test averages on the PLAN Test administered during the 2006-2007 school year. The final score, Composite, is a figure that is calculated by using scores from each of the individually tested areas and gives a reasonable "overview" of the tested students.  As you will see, 10th grade students in the Elmwood-Murdock School District scored well above their peers nationally on the PLAN Test. 

 

TEST AREAS                                            NATIONAL AVERAGE                              ELMWOOD-MURDOCK

 

English                                                                          16.9                                                               19.1

Mathematics                                                                 17.4                                                               18.2

Reading                                                                         16.9                                                               17.5

Science Reasoning                                                         18.2                                                               18.8

Composite                                                                    17.5                                                               18.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENROLLMENT

 

Elmwood-Murdock student enrollment was lowest in 1990 when 380 students were enrolled in the district.  During the 2006-2007 school year, the Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools recorded the highest enrollment of 439 students.

 

Elmwood-Murdock Projected Enrollment Totals

 

Projected student enrollments for the next five years raise concern for the district.  According to the district census, the student population will decline to 420 students during the 2010-2011 school year.  Due to the reduced student population, the district would realize potential losses in State Aid, which could have implications on the educational program offered students in the district.  In the best interest of the school and community, it is imperative action be taken to increase student population in the district.  The projected enrollments do not take into account students who may move into the district over the next several years or students who may Option Enroll into the district during this time period.  As a result, projecting enrollments is not to be considered an exact science.  In fact, actual enrollments have exceeded projected enrollments when reviewing enrollment data from the past five years.

 

 

 

Student Characteristics 2006 - 2007

 

Percentage of Nebraska students:

 

 

Characteristics

State Average

District Average

Eligible for free and reduced price meals

*36.42%

*22.10%

Moving in or out during the school year (mobility)

12.72%

6.61%

Learning the English language

6.49%

0.00%

Receiving special education services

14.95%

19.82%

 

* Based on pre-kindergarten through 12th grade fall enrollment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FUNDING

 

DISTRICT RECEIPTS

 

In recent years, the Nebraska State Legislature has attempted to enact legislation shifting more school funding to the state in order to provide property tax relief for Nebraska taxpayers.  In 2005-2006, the state provided approximately 37 percent of the funds that supported Nebraska schools.  The Elmwood-Murdock School District received approximately 39 percent of the funding needed to support the district from state sources.  Overall, the proportion of district receipts received by the Elmwood-Murdock School District from the various funding sources is very similar when compared to other school districts from across the state.

 

Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools

2005-2006 School Year

 

 

Receipts

Percent

Local

$1,915,414

54.40%

County

$53,539

1.52%

State

$1,381,100

39.22%

Federal

$170,968

4.86%

Other

$41.47

0%

 

 

 

 

State and District Comparison

2005 – 2006 School Year

 

 

 

State

District

Local

52.42%

54.40%

County

0.84%

1.52%

State

36.67%

39.22%

Federal

8.61%

4.86%

Other

1.46%

0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISTRICT EXPENDITURES

 

 

In regards to expenditures, the Elmwood-Murdock School District expends funds in a similar manner to other districts statewide.  Expenditure comparisons become even more similar when they are made between the Elmwood-Murdock School and school districts of similar size across the state.

 

Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools

2005-2006 School Year

 

 

Expenditures

Percent

All Instruction

$2,090,799

61.25%

Support Services - Pupils

$326,676

9.57%

Support Services - Staff

$33,208

0.97%

Central Administration

$278,311

8.15%

Office of the Principal

$227,640

6.67%

Maintenance & Operation

$254,323

7.45%

Federal

$162,316

4.76%

Other

40,019

1.17%

 

 

State and District Comparison

2005 - 2006 School Year

 

 

 

State

District

All Instruction

58.96%

61.25%

Support Services - Pupils

7.35%

9.57%

Support Services - Staff

3.18%

0.97%

Central Administration

5.88%

8.15%

Office of the Principal

5.49%

6.67%

Maintenance & Operation

10.24%

7.45%

Federal

7.59%

4.76%

Other

1.31%

1.17%

 

 

 

ELMWOOD-MURDOCK BUDGET HISTORY

 

State Aid

 

The State of Nebraska assists public schools in funding the education of students through State Aid.  Over the past decade, State Aid in the Elmwood-Murdock School District has fluctuated greatly.  State Aid reached a district high of $1,050,174 during the 2005-2006 school year.  The fluctuations in State Aid make it very challenging to undertake short and long term financial planning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Fund Property Tax Requests

 

General Fund property tax requests have fluctuated along with State Aid over the past decade.  Property tax requests hit a high in 1995-96, at the same time State Aid was significantly reduced.  Property tax requests continue to remain below the 1995-1996 request.

 

General Fund Levy

 

The General Fund Levy in the Elmwood-Murdock School District reached a high point during the 1995-96 school year due to a significant decrease in State Aid.  Since the 1995-96 school year, the General Fund Levy has been reduced due to an increase in State Aid and budgetary cuts resulting in property tax relief to district taxpayers.  The average General Fund Levy over the past five years has been 1.0439.  This is a reduction of 38% when compared to the 1995-1996 General Fund Levy.  The General Fund Levy hit an all-time low of .9525 in 2005-2006.

 

 

 

District Valuation

 

The valuation of the Elmwood-Murdock School District increased significantly between 1990 and 1995.  From 1995-1996 to 2002-2003, the valuation of the district increased at a much slower rate.  In 2003-2004, the district realized a 13.6% increase in valuation.  This was one of the most substantial increases in valuation in the history of the district.  The district property values have increased an average of 6.96 % per year over the past five years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Fund Expenditures

 

The majority of expenditures made by the district in funding the educational program offered students is made through the General Fund.  General Fund expenditures have remained within the expenditure limits established by Nebraska State Law.  The increase in General Fund expenditures is almost entirely related to increases made in staff salary and benefits.  General Fund expenditures have increased by an average of 5.72% per year over the past five years, with 90% of the increase a result of increases in salary and benefits.