By Lori Ehde
The results are in on Minnesota's eighth-grade Basic Skills Tests in reading and math, and Luverne students passed with flying colors.
Of the Luverne eighth-graders who took the tests, 92 percent passed the reading portion and 81 percent passed in math.
This compares to statewide results of 80 percent passing in reading and 74 percent passing math.
"We're doing tremendously well," said Luverne's Curriculum Coordinator Jan Olson. "Our scores have been consistently in the top of our conference for the past three years."
She said it's especially encouraging to see the high percentage of Luverne students passing the math test, considering Luverne recently implemented what she called a controversial integrated math curriculum.
To what does she attribute Luverne's success?
"Our teaching staff should be recognized for that," she said. "We do offer remediation classes in the winter and summer prior to the test dates, and teachers - especially in eighth-grade English and math - work really hard to prepare students."
Minnesota Public School students are required to pass these two tests and a 10th-grade writing test in order to graduate.