DRAFT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 17, 2014
CONTACT: Keith Hovis, 651-582-8275, keith.hovis@state.mn.us

Minnesota Department of Education Announces 2014 Celebration Schools

ROSEVILLE – Today, the Minnesota Department of Education announced that 22 schools are being recognized as Celebration schools for their efforts to increase student achievement. This year, 143 schools applied for the honor.

“I want to congratulate these schools for this incredible accomplishment,” said Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “Minnesotans should be proud of the work going on in our schools. I look forward to continue learning about their successful efforts to ensure all students succeed and share that work with other schools across the state.”

The Celebration school designation is part of Minnesota’s federal accountability system that replaces No Child Left Behind. Under Minnesota’s program, schools are assigned a Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) based on students’ proficiency and growth, as well as a school’s progress towards reducing achievement gaps and increasing graduation rates. The state’s Title I schools—those serving racially and ethnically diverse student populations and receive federal funds for children from low-income families—qualify for designations if they are top performers.

Celebration-eligible schools are the 25 percent of schools directly below those designated as Reward schools (the top 15 percent of Title I schools). These schools are then able to apply for Celebration status by documenting what efforts they are using to increase student achievement. The department selects schools based on their ability to effectively document best practices that have led to student success to receive the Celebration school recognition. Celebration-eligible schools are identified annually.

The schools chosen as 2014 Celebration schools this year are:

School Name / District Name

• Blooming Prairie Elementary / Blooming Prairie Public School District
• Cedar Park Elementary / Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
• Dover-Eyota Elementary / Dover-Eyota Public School District
• Fair School Downtown / West Metro Education Program
• Hmong College Prep Academy High School / Hmong College Prep Academy
• Huddleston Elementary / Lakeville Public School District 
• Kelliher Secondary School / Kelliher Public School District 
• Kennedy Elementary / Willmar Public School District
• Kenny Elementary / Minneapolis Public School District
• KIPP Minnesota Charter School / KIPP Minnesota Charter School
• Menahga Elementary / Menahga Public School District
• Minnesota Transitions Middle School / Minnesota Transitions Charter
• Mississippi Heights Elementary / Sauk Rapids-Rice Public School District 
• Moose Lake Elementary / Moose Lake Public School District
• Oak Grove Elementary / Bloomington Public School District 
• Oak Hills Elementary / Lakeville Public School District 
• Rice Elementary / Sauk Rapids-Rice Public School District
• Richardson Elementary / North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Public School District
• Ridgeway Community School / Ridgeway Community
• South Terrace Elementary / Carlton Public School District 
• Southgate Elementary / Austin Public School District
• Weaver Elementary / North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale

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