When the Minnesota Department of Education released its 2008 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment data last month, education officials touted the big increase in reading proficiency among 10th graders.

The state reported a 9 percent proficiency increase among high school sophomores, resulting in 71 percent of students meeting or exceeding state reading standards.

Summer might be the ideal time for students to sleep in and enjoy lazy afternoons, but that doesn’t mean learning must end.

Several students at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Junior-Senior High School spent a week in June learning the ins and outs of landscaping. The teens volunteered their time to make a new patio outside the school, doing everything from picking out the plants to building the benches.

The landscape project on the west side of the junior-senior high school in Grove City was organized through the school’s 21st Century Learning grant.

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment data is in, and local school administrators are breaking down the highlights and lowlights of this year’s test data.

Most area school districts made positive strides in math and reading proficiency.

The Minnesota Department of Education announced today that nearly 90 percent of Minnesota ninth-graders pass the Writing Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma.

“We are pleased that Minnesota students have performed so well on the Writing GRAD,” Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said. “We hope this assessment provides educators with a starting point for improving every student’s writing skills.”

All four local school districts scored above the state average of 89.5 percent.

Seventy-three seniors graduated from Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School during commencement exercises Friday, May 23 in the high school gymnasium in Grove City. Visit our newest photo gallery to order photos from the event.

Facing a nearly $1 billion deficit, state officials made some difficult cuts to health and human services, higher education and public safety last weekend to balance the state budget.

Minnesota schools, however, were not only saved from the ax, but given a small boost in funding.

As part of the state budget bill passed Sunday, the Legislature approved a one-time allocation of $51 per pupil unit for next school year.

Seventy-three seniors will graduate from Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School Friday.

Commencement exercises for the class of 2008 are set for 7 p.m. in the ACGC gymnasium in Grove City.