Minnesota Department of Education Announces Celebration Schools
Today, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced that 48 schools are being designated as Celebration schools. This year, 166 schools were eligible and 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 with high levels of poverty-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. MDE 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.

Congratulations to Raven Stream Elementary School for being chosen as a 2013 Celebration School.