The Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools is proud to provide our district patrons with the second annual Elmwood-Murdock

For the purpose of achievement testing in the Elmwood-Murdock School District, the district utilizes the California Achievement Test for grades 3-8 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 these tests are different 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 tests 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.

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%. Seventy-two percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-4, 7-8 and 10-12 scored above the national average on their 2000-2001 standardized reading test. Comparatively, sixty-two percent of Nebraska students scored above the national average on their 2000-2001 standardized reading test. Seventy-seven percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-4 scored above the national average in reading on their 2000-2001 standardized reading test. Comparatively, sixty-two percent of Nebraska students in grades 3-4 scored above the national average in reading on their 2000-2001 standardized reading test.

For the first time during the 2000-2001 school year, students in grades 3, 8, and 11 in Nebraska schools were assessed on their level of mastery of reading standards adopted by the Nebraska Department of Education. Additionally, the assessments used by the districts in measuring student mastery of the adopted standards were assessed.

The quality of the assessment directly influences the rating of students meeting standards. The goal for all school districts is to show improvement in both ratings over time.

During the 2000-2001 school year, the first statewide writing assessments were held in order to measure the writing skills of students in grades 4, 8 & 11 from across our state. The writing assessments were administered to students in February 2001. 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.

Nebraska school districts received the results of the statewide testing in May 2001. For the purpose of comparision, "cut scores" were established to determine the level at which a student was deemed to have the skills required of being a proficient writer. As a district, Elmwood-Murdock scored above the statewide average on the State Writing Assessments. Seventy-four percent of Elmwood-Murdock students who participated in the writing assessment were rated as having proficient writing skills. Comparatively, seventy-two percent of Nebraska students were rated as having proficient writing skills.

Elmwood-Murdock students scored better than students in Nebraska and nationwide in mathematics. Eighty-two percent of Elmwood-Murdock students in grades 3-4, 7-8 and 10-12 scored above the national average on their 2000-2001 standardized mathematics test. This compares to sixty-six percent of students statewide.

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.

In the Elmwood-Murdock School District, fifty-seven percent of the graduating seniors took the ACT college entrance exam in 2000. This compares to 74 percent statewide and 38 percent nationally. In 2000, Elmwood-Murdock students scored higher than students statewide and nationally on the ACT college entrance exam.

Students in the high school are administered different tests. For example, during the 10th grade year, the PLAN test from American College Testing (ACT) is administered. This year, twenty-seven students in the 10th grade were tested.

Elmwood-Murdock student enrollment remained nearly constant over the past decade. Student enrollment reached highs of 407 in 1993 and 1996. Student enrollment was lowest in 1990 when 380 students were enrolled in the district.

Projected student enrollments for the next five years raise concern for the district. According to the district census, the

student population will decline to a record low of 340 students during the 2005-2006 school year. Due to the reduced student population, the district would realize potential losses in State Aid which would have implications on the educational program offered students in the district. In the best interest of the school and community, it is imperative that action be taken to increase the student population in the district.

During the 2000-2001 school year, Elmwood-Murdock students attended school 96.50 percent of the time. Nebraska ranked seventh nationally in attendance over the past decade with an attendance rate of 94.87 percent. As you can see, students in the Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools attend school above state and national averages. The Elmwood-Murdock Public School takes student attendance seriously and views student attendance as a key indicator of student academic success.

The Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools graduation rate for 2000-2001 was 96.43 percent. Statewide over the past decade 93.35 of Nebraska 12^th graders have graduated. Nebraska ranks in the top five states in the nation in graduation rates for high school seniors. As you can see, Elmwood-Murdock students graduate at an extremely high rate.

The Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools is proud to have 94.76% of their high school core courses taught by teachers who majored in the subjects they teach. As you can see, this ranks above the statewide average. Research indicates that student achievement is enhanced when subject endorsed teachers are in the classroom instructing students.

Teacher salaries in the Elmwood-Murdock School District rank slightly below the statewide average. One item of significance, not included in average teacher salaries, is the benefits which are offered staff.

Nebraska teachers are in their classrooms 95.3 percent of the days that students are in school. Districts reported teachers were absent 4.7 percent of the time for the following reasons:

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 1999-2000, the state provided nearly 42 percent of the funds that supported Nebraska schools. Unfortunately, the Elmwood-Murdock School District received only 32 percent of the funding needed to support the district from state sources. As a result, the Elmwood-Murdock School District has not received the monetary rewards other school districts in our state have from the enacted legislation. As a result, the Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools continues to be more dependent on local property taxes for providing funding support for our district.

In regards to expenditures, the Elmwood-Murdock School District expends funds in the same manner as other districts statewide. Based on this comparison, it would appear the Elmwood-Murdock School District is expending funds in a similar manner to other school districts in Nebraska

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 decade high of $669,660 during the 1990-91 school year. The fluctuations in State Aid make it extremely difficult to undertake short and long term financial planning. Reductions in State Aid result in the district having to increase property taxes or making spending cuts. The approach taken by the district over the past decade has included both increased property taxes and the making of many budgetary cuts.

The General Fund Levy in the Elmwood-Murdock School District reached a high point during the 1995-96 school year. Since the 1995-96 school year, the General Fund Levy has been reduced significantly resulting in relief to district taxpayers.

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 being reduced. Property tax requests have been significantly reduced since the 1995-96 school year.

The valuation of the Elmwood-Murdock School District increased significantly between 1990 and 1995. Since 1995, the valuation of the district has increased at a much slower rate. The slowing in valuation increases can be related to the "green belting" of district farmland beginning with the 1997-98 school fiscal year.

The majority of expenditures made by the district in funding the educational program offered students are made through the General Fund. General Fund expenditures have remained within the expenditure limits established by Nebraska State Law.