Accelerate Northfield Aims to Bridge Achievement Gap

Sometimes an idea accelerates and take on a power of its own.

Such is the case with Accelerate Northfield, a new volunteer program that started with an idea and has since taken off with hopes of helping to bridge the achievement gap in Northfield’s schools. 

Accelerate Northfield is a collaborative effort of community members, , Northfield Healthy Community Initiative, and . 

The program took form last spring with an idea of two parents, Rachel Matney and her husband, Fritz Bogott.

“We saw some statistics from schools showing that Minnesota has a wider achievement gap between low-income and upper-income students than the national average,” said Bogott. 

Unfortunately, Northfield was no exception.

The gap in achievement, Bogott added, “ran against our aspirations for Northfield.” 

For the 2009-10 school year, 78 percent of Northfield students who took the state's math standardized tests—the Minnesota Comprehension Assessments-Series II—were deemed proficient. Compare that to 54 percent for Northfield students on free and reduced lunch. Statewide, the proficiency levels were 67 percent and 49 percent, respectively. The tests were given to third- through eighth-grade students and juniors.

For the reading exams, given to third- through eighth-graders and sophomores, Northfield had 82 percent of students deemed proficient. For free and reduced lunch students, that number dipped to 60 percent proficiency. Statewide, the proficiency marks were 72 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

The 2010-11 results are expected to be released by the Minnesota Department of Education in September.

Wanting something better for their community, Matney and Bogott hoped to raise awareness and a sense of urgency about the achievement gap problem. They wanted to have at “least a little impact on it,” said Bogott.

Matney, as president of Women in Northfield Giving Support, was already connected to members of the community like Zach Pruitt of HCI and Erin Mayberry at the district's . She contacted them to start a conversation of how they could help close the achievement gap in Northfield. 

“We know so many talented people that we thought could make a difference in the lives of Northfield’s youth,” said Bogott. “So we just decided to ask some community partners how we might be able to help, and if recruiting more volunteers would be useful.

“Once we asked, the project immediately took on a life of its own."

Soon, Accelerate Northfield was born with the goal to “help all Northfield’s kids be learning superheroes!”

How will it work?

As the project takes off this fall, Accelerate Northfield volunteers will connect with elementary students in three different pilot programs that will best help accelerate student performance: intensive one-on-one tutoring, read-aloud and challenge groups.

The program is designed to help children needing extra help with basic skills to those who need additional challenges in order to stay interested in learning. 

With people from the community helping students at all levels, “all kids win,” said Principal Nancy Antoine. The program, she added, is “such a great way to help us accelerate all the kids.”

Several dozen people have already signed up to volunteer. Students from St. Olaf and Carleton will serve as tutors as well. Yet with three elementary schools serving over 1,500 students among them, Accelerate Northfield needs more volunteers.

Signing up to be a volunteer is as easy as going to Accelerate Northfield’s website and filling out a short form.

Volunteering doesn't need to be huge time commitment or a long term, advocates say. Even if a person can volunteer once a week for 30 minutes, there’s a way to work that into Accelerate Northfield's schedule.

Northfield Superintendent Chris Richardson is behind the idea.

“Volunteers from our community have a real opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and supporting our teachers in their efforts to close the achievement gap and help all students find success.”