The Albert Lea school board on Monday heard an analysis of the district’s test scores, which showed most grades aren’t meeting state averages. Board members also heard how administrators hope to correct that.

Mary Williams, the district’s director of teaching and learning, presented data from recent MCA tests and ACT scores to show how the district compares to state averages.

“There’s definitely some areas for improvement,” Williams said.

Though fifth- and sixth-grades made great strides, as well as Halverson Elementary School, there were many areas where the district was not meeting state averages.

Williams spoke about the district’s goals and how it will work to continue to try to improve test scores. One way was to work with teachers’ professional learning communities during staff development times.

“I’m not about taking tests,” Superintendent Mike Funk said. “What we’re doing is focusing on learning.”

Earlier in the meeting the board heard from Southwest Middle School Principal Jean Jordan and a few teachers about how advisory periods were affecting students. Jordan was previously the principal at Lakeview Elementary School where Responsive Classrooms was used, and she implemented the use of Developmental Designs, which is the middle-school equivalent of Responsive Classrooms. She said some teachers went to workshops to learn more about the program in the summer and it’s been in use since the beginning of the school year.

“They have been off and running,” Jordan said.

Jackie Cromwell-Olson, a seventh-grade science teacher, told the board a little about how the program works and said it has helped students trust teachers more and made students more comfortable sharing. Shauna Dakken, a sixth-grade history teacher, said she’s taught middle school for 18 years and that this was the best advisory curriculum she’s ever used.

“There’s certain games and activities they really enjoy doing,” Dakken said. “There is some bonding time to interact with kids.”

In other action the board:

• Heard from Funk about a bus incident on Oct. 14. Funk said he had reviewed video footage of what happened on Bus 344 and that his primary concern is the safety of students. He hopes to provide bus drivers with professional learning development and said that drivers will soon have photos and names of children so they know who’s supposed to be on the bus.

• Heard from Lori Volz, director of finance and operations, about the sale of alternative facilities bonds for the district’s $14 million heating and ventilation upgrade project. The board will likely approve the sale of three bonds to Bank of America at the special school board meeting Nov. 7.

• Authorized an assistant mock trial adviser for $750 for the 2011-12 school year. Funk said that the team has had success in past years and a large number of students wanted to be on the team, but there were too many for one adviser alone.

• Swore in new member Kim Nelson. Nelson was chosen out of six candidates during interviews during a special school board meeting Oct. 10.