Residents and parents often say to me, “We know Mounds View is a high-achieving district, but how do our schools compare with others in the metro?”

I’m sometimes tempted to simply respond as they would in Lake Wobegon, where, of course, all of the children are above average. Yes, all of our schools are above average, but I can be more specific.

* When it comes to academic achievement and student test scores, our district routinely ranks among the Top 10 in the metro. Newsweek calls our two high schools among the best in the nation. And we also lead the state that leads the nation in ACT scores.

* Standard & Poors says Mounds View has an above average return on its spending. And the State Auditor’s report shows Mounds View’s expenses are slightly below the Metro 50 average for administrative expenses, teacher salaries, employee benefits and operating expenses.

* These days, Mounds View is also earning a reputation for innovation and reform. Our district was one of the first to reform teachers’ salaries to a more performance-based system. And our commitment to improving science, technology, engineering and math has earned us praise from state leaders as well as from cutting-edge corporations who are eager to partner with us in our educational cause.

I suppose knowing how we compare with other school districts is a sign of the times in a world that’s growing increasingly competitive. But I also think it’s a fair question – and one that deserves some explicit examples.

Residents, please watch your mail for the latest issue of our district newsletter, School Talk, or download it now at www.moundsviewschools.org/pdf/stfall06.pdf. As you read our feature story, “Measuring Up,” and our “Annual Report on Student Assessment,” I think you’ll see how Mounds View is among the best districts in a state that leads the nation in public school education.

I guess you can say that really is “above average,” after all.