by April Scheinoha
Reporter

The Thief River Falls School District hopes to narrow the achievement gap and provide equitable opportunities for all students. To that end, the board approved the Achievement and Integration Plan for 2022-25 at its meeting Monday, March 14.

The plan focuses on racial and economic integration, equitable educational opportunities and a reduction in academic disparities, according to Sara Olson, director of teaching, learning and technology.

This is the second time that the district has crafted an Achievement and Integration Plan. Three years ago, it crafted a similar plan, which enables the district to receive state funding for its efforts. The district is eligible to participate in the program as an adjoining school district to the Crookston School District. The latter school district qualifies for the program due to racial disparities.

The plan features four goals:

• Reducing the achievement gap in math between Free and Reduced Program recipients and non-recipients – Olson said the difference was 30.3% in 2019 and the district wants to decrease the difference to 26% in 2025. As part of those efforts, the district would like to have a student success advocate.

• Ensuring equal access to effective teachers – This program would include various pieces of instruction for first-year teachers and those who have recently joined the district. The district currently offers no such program. Mentors will help the new teachers. In addition, the program will feature cultural-inclusive instruction and technology instruction.

• Creating an integration project with the Crookston and East Grand Forks school districts – The district realizes that many students don’t seek a college education. In order to better serve those students, the district plans to partner with the Crookston and East Grand Forks school districts. As part of this partnership, 10 eighth graders from each district will tour regional businesses, learning about careers available to them. Once those students are in high school, they will take courses in a career track in which they are interested.

• Removing barriers by offering preschool scholarships to families