Increasing Academic Rigor is a core focus in Saint Paul. Each year the Superintendent introduces a theme to focus efforts. The themes directly tied to Academic Rigor are:
- 1999-2000 Raising Expectations—A "Call to Action" for having and communicating high expectations for all students
- 2001-2002 Focus on Student Work—Introduced intensive curriculum alignment efforts through the Project for Academic Excellence
- 2002-2003 Challenging Every Child—Expanded efforts to implement Best Practices
- 2003-2004 Knowing with Precision—Focused on using the data to identify the unique learning needs of each child and providing appropriate instruction
How do we know whether or not it's working? By looking for improvements in Student Achievement over time. This can be done by looking at the District Data, or using resources that tell you more about Your Child's School.
But what about our own children? How can we be sure they're being challenged? The answer to that question depends on three things:
- First, what grade level the child is in,
- Second, the unique needs of the child, and
- Third, asking questions.
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