Strategic Plan

Outlining Our Vision, Strategic Commitments and Benchmarks

Our 2027 strategic plan, adopted in December 2021, is comprised of our vision, strategic commitments and benchmarks. The strategic plan was developed based on input from the Northfield community – surveys and 15 meetings helped inspire our direction for the future. During a six-month planning period, we listened to staff, students, families and advisory groups to inform these strategies.

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Our Vision

We prepare every student for lifelong success by developing critical thinkers who are curious and ready to engage in our society.

Strategic Commitments

PEOPLE

We prioritize the engagement, satisfaction, and support of every student, staff member, and family.

LEARNER OUTCOMES

We prepare every student to be academically and socially ready to choose their preferred pathway after high school graduation.

EQUITY

We ensure that every child has a fair opportunity to reach their full potential.

COMMUNICATION

We communicate effectively and transparently with all stakeholders.

STEWARDSHIP

We responsibly manage our personnel, finances, property, time and environmental impact.

PARTNERSHIPS

We seek community partnerships that accelerate student achievement of district benchmarks.

Benchmarks

1. All children are ready for kindergarten.
- 64% of incoming kindergarten students were identified “Ready for K” by the STAR assessment.
- According to our Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) approved assessment, 95% of students who attended the district’s preschool program were kindergarten ready.
- 100% of EarlyVentures students were kindergarten ready according to the Preschool Early Literacy Indicators (PELI) nationally normed assessment.
Data Source:
Data Source: 2025-26 NCEC School Improvement Plan
2. All students are connected to the community.
- 93% of parents reported at least 5 hours of preschool experience outside of home in the fall of 2023.
- The district expanded community school access from Greenvale Park to Bridgewater Elementary and Spring Creek in 2022.
Data Source: Community School Information
3. All students are at grade level in reading and mathematics by the end of third and sixth grades.
- 63% of Grade 3 students met or exceeded proficiency on the 2024 MCA-III reading assessment. This outperformed 89% of Minnesota school districts.
- 73% of Grade 3 students met or exceeded proficiency on the 2024 MCA-III mathematics assessment. This outperformed 78% of Minnesota school districts.
- 68% of Grade 6 students met or exceeded proficiency on the 2024 MCA-III reading assessment. This outperformed 85% of Minnesota school districts.
- 49% of Grade 6 students met or exceeded proficiency on the 2024 MCA-III mathematics assessment. This outperformed 72% of Minnesota school districts.
Data Source:
4. All students exhibit physical, social and emotional well-being.
- 88% of third to 12th grade students reported well-developed social-emotional skills based on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) screener.
- 85% of third to 12th graders reported no Externalizing concerns based on the SSIS screener.
- 83% of third to 12th graders reported no Internalizing concerns based on the SSIS screener.
Data Source:
5. All students have a connection with a caring adult beyond their parents as  they transition to middle school.
As of Fall 2023:
- 80% of sixth graders report most teachers care about and are interested in me as a person.
- 77% of sixth graders report having at least one adult at school they look forward to seeing every day.
Data Source:
6. All students have interests, goals and a vision for the future by the end  of eighth grade.
- 93% of Grade 8 students indicated they had already identified future plans after high school (March 2025).
Data Source:
7. All students graduate from high school with a plan to reach their full potential.
- Northfield High School’s graduation rate was 96% in 2025.
- Northfield’s 2025 ACT mean composite score (22.4) outpaced the state average (20.13) and the national average (19.4).
Data Sources: ,��
8. All employees report satisfaction in the workplace.
- The mean rating was 4.10 (out of a five-point Likert scale) across all 383 responses.
- There was improvement in 14 of the 20 indicators when compared to the 2024-25 employee experience survey results.
- 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I believe my work positively impacts those we serve.”
- 90% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I have a clear understanding of my expectations as an employee.”
Data Source:
9. All parents report satisfaction with their children’s educational experience.
The district’s annual parent satisfaction survey was conducted in April 2026. Here are the survey highlights:
- There were 702 responses from 537 unique individuals, up from 457 responses in the 2024-25 survey.
- The overall rating is 4.18, an increase over last year’s 4.10 overall rating.
- The “top box” increased from 41.6% to 51.2%. The “top box” score is the overall responses that “strongly agreed” to each statement.
- The “top two box” was 78.40%. The “top two box” score is the sum of those who responded “Agreed” and “Strongly Agreed” to each statement.
- This was the fourth consecutive year of an increased overall rating (the rating was 4.0 in 2022-23).
- The greatest strengths as indicated in the survey results are listed below.
  - “I believe this school provides a safe environment for my child to learn.” Score: 4.39 (up 0.15 from last year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 86.16%
  - “I believe my child’s learning is a high priority at this school.” Score: ,4.33 (up 0.07 from last year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 86.88%
- The greatest opportunities for growth as indicated in the survey results are listed below.
  - “I receive positive phone calls, emails, or notes about my child from school.” Score: 3.39 (down 0.01 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 50.50%
  - “I regularly receive feedback from school staff on how well my child is learning.” Score: 3.58 (up 0.14 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 55.92%
- Data Source:
10. The district maintains 14% of its annual expenditures in its unassigned fund balance to ensure financial stability.
- The district projects to end the 2025-26 year with an 18.4% fund balance.
Data Source: 2025-26 Budget Book
11. Community education provides relevant and accessible learning opportunities for all residents.
- The district offered 942 community education programs in 2022-23.
- There were 239,181 hours of facility usage scheduled through community education.
Data Source:

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