Assessment, Research & Evaluation

Our school district is inviting students in the 6th through 11th grades to participate in the 2022 Minnesota Student Survey (MSS). This survey is voluntary and has been conducted in schools across our state every three years since 1989. The survey is anonymous and confidential. The privacy of students is protected, as students do not provide their names, student identification numbers, or other personal information. No individual or their families can be identified. The results are reported on our students as a whole.

Questions on the survey are about many topics relating to young people’s lives. The survey asks about how well school is going, future plans, out-of-school activities, physical and mental health, relationships, substance use, and more. High school students are also asked about sexual behavior. This information is used by communities and schools to develop effective programs and provide better services for students.

The survey is administered online. Students will have the ability to read the questions or have the questions read to them through the technology they use to access the survey. The survey takes approximately 45 minutes, or one class period, to complete.

Our school district has informed parents of such surveys in the past and now federal law also requires us to notify parents of this school activity. The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) will be administered in our middle school and high school from April 4th through April 8th, 2022. You are welcome to review a copy of the survey at: https://mnstudentsurvey.org/instruments For additional support on how to review the survey, or if you have any questions about the survey, please contact Dr. Becca Starr, Assessment and Research Specialist at: 952-928-6022 or starr.rebecca@slpschools.org.

Students may also decline to take any part of the survey, or the whole survey, and are informed of that option by staff on the day of survey administration. If you do not want your student to participate in the Minnesota Student Survey, please know that we will be sharing links to a passive consent form/notice to parents by mid-March with a reminder that this survey will be administered in April. These forms will allow you to opt your student out of the survey.

Parent/Guardian Passive Consent Forms

 

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St. Louis Park Public Schools sees tremendous value in education research. Our department manages all requests to conduct research in SLP Schools. We prioritize student and staff data privacy and take every measure to ensure that studies are conducted ethically. When evaluating any proposal to conduct research in our district, we also evaluate the proposal’s ability to help us work toward our mission:

"St. Louis Park Public Schools sees, inspires, and empowers each learner to live their brilliance in an environment that centers student voice and experience to create racially equitable learning that energizes and enhances the spirit of our community."

We use our mission as a lens to help us determine if a study should be conducted in our system when a proposal is sent to our district. 

Procedure: Start by reading the research proposal form that must be submitted along with other documents. The window for approving or denying research proposals will be made in 4-6 weeks.

The SAC and Asst. SAC are responsible for reminding staff of the district process for communicating potential security breaches within the school and to the District Assessment Coordinator, as well as providing information on the MDE tip line as an additional option for reporting security concerns. This will be posted on each school’s website, with the testing calendar. 

https://w1.education.state.mn.us/tip/

For the first item above, if any non-district staff such as a parent or MDE test auditor comes to the school during testing, ask for proof of test security training before admitting them to testing areas. If there are questions of any kind, refer them to our district test security procedures and call 952-928-6074 or 952-928-6022.

Parents/guardians have a right to not have their student participate in state required standardized assessments. Minnesota Statutes require the department to provide information about statewide assessments to parents/guardians and include a form to complete if they refuse to have their student participate.

When completed, this form should be returned to Assessment Specialist Dr Becca Starr. Email: starr.rebecca@slpschools.org | Fax: 952-928-6020 | Mail: 6311 Wayzata Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416

Statewide Assessments Opt-Out Form

St. Louis Park Public Schools 2022-23 Testing Calendar

In St. Louis Park Public Schools, we take every care to protect test security, and understand its value as a public investment to provide reliable and accurate data to inform us about student learning.  If you have any concerns about test security that you wish to report directly to the MN MN Department of Education, please use the following link. 

Minnesota Statewide Test Security Tipline: https://w1.education.state.mn.us/tip/

St. Louis Park Public Schools is seeking four Youth Data Analyst Interns to join our Assessment, Research, and Evaluation team at the District Office this summer. Our team is looking for students who will help us analyze district data through the lens of race, critical theory, current education research and their own experience. This is a seven-week paid summer position starting on June 29.

St. Louis Park Public Schools recently received a large donation from a private foundation to support career and college readiness activities for high school students. Some of the funds are allocated to develop a student internship program in partnership with the district.  

Are you interested in learning more about the Youth Data Analyst internship?

• Join us for an information session with Dr. Silvy Un Lafayette, Director of Assessment, Research and Evaluation on May 21 at 3 p.m. To receive a meeting invitation, sign up here. 
• For a more detailed job description and to apply, click here on the SLP Human Resources page.

Applications are typically due in early June.