Department of LEARNING & INNOVATION

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects a student with an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, whether the student receives special education services or not.

For more information regarding new or existing 504 Plans, please contact your student's school counselor. 

Rockford Area Schools is obligated to provide students with access to the Minnesota academic standards as established by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). The State of Minnesota has developed in the academic areas of: Arts; English Language Arts (ELA); Mathematics; Physical Education; Science; and Social Studies.

In curricular areas unaddressed by MDE, Rockford Area Schools employs academic standards established by national organizations affiliated with the following contents: Agricultural Education; Business; English Learners (EL); Family & Consumer Science (FACS); Health; Technology Education; and World Languages.

For more information regarding Academic Standards, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation.

Rockford Area Schools works to strengthen and promote positive experiences and educational outcomes for American Indian students. American Indian students will reach their full potential within their school communities through meaningful, equitable, and targeted educational experiences that affirms and values their unique cultural identities.

With guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education's American Indian Education department, Rockford Area Schools has formed our local American Indian Parent Action Committee (AIPAC).

For more information regarding American Indian Education, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation.

Positive school attendance is the strongest indicator for student academic success. We partner with students and families to ensure consistent school attendance and to overcome barriers when they exist. We also partner with Hennepin and Wright counties to support students and families with attendance and truancy concerns.

For more information regarding student attendance and truancy, please contact your student's school. The district's designated attendance and truancy coordinator is Samantha Bloom, RHS School Counselor.

Rockford High School provides credit recovery options for students in grades 9-12 who may be struggling in the regular school program and need additional time to develop skills and abilities. The purpose is to develop the skills needed to be successful in a comprehensive high school and to continue to make progress towards high school graduation. Credit recovery can be pursued during the regular school year and/or during summer programming.

For more information regarding Rockford High School credit recovery options, please contact Samantha Bloom, RHS School Counselor.

Students currently experiencing foster care may require additional school-related support. We coordinate with child welfare agencies, families, and our community to reduce educational disruptions and to provide individualized services often essential for students in foster care to be successful in school and in life.

For more information regarding foster care coordination, please contact Molly Wirth, RMS-CES School Counselor.

The mission of the EXCEL Program is to recognize gifted and talented students and appropriately meet their unique academic, social and emotional needs, to continue Rockford Area Schools’ tradition of excellence, one student at a time. Click here for an overview of the Excel Gifted and Talented Program. For more information regarding the EXCEL Gifted and Talented Program, contact Holly Biorn, EXCEL coordinator, at biornh@rockford.k12.mn.us.

Students and families experiencing homelessness face unique obstacles while engaging in student education. An array of services for students experiencing homelessness from birth through adulthood are available under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act regardless of the student's academic setting -- general, special, or community education.

For more information regarding Homeless Services, please contact Molly Wirth, RMS-CES School Counselor.

Rockford Area School’s mission for literacy is to ensure reading proficiency by the end of third grade.  We believe all learners, given quality instruction, can reach their full potential.  Please click here for the Rockford Elementary Arts Magnet School Local Literacy Plan.  For more information, please feel free to contact Brenda Nyhus, REAMS Principal, at nyhusb@rockford.k12.mn.us.

Rockford Area Schools believes that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a preventative framework focused on delivering high quality instruction in the area of academics and social-emotional learning. The framework supports aligning and integrating various district operations and system structures to facilitate efficiency and effectiveness in order to maximize student success. This is accomplished by planning, maintaining an equity lens, and leveraging data to guide decision-making. 

MTSS is foundational to specifically achieving Strategic Directions 1, 3, and 4 of the Rockford Area Schools Strategic Plan (2021-2024) in providing comprehensive rigorous, effective, and responsive instruction to all students. A framework of multi-tiered instruction allows Rockford Area Schools to accelerate the learning of all students from our youngest learners to our oldest students in transition programs. There are five major components to the framework: Infrastructure and supports; Assessments; Data-based decision-making; Multi-tiered instruction; and Fidelity and evaluation. The framework allows Rockford Area Schools to ensure a continuum of instruction that serves students performing below grade level standards and students who are performing above grade-level standards. 
 
Rockford Area Schools is committed to implementing MTSS with fidelity. In striving for continuous school improvement, we understand that this will be an evolving process as we respond to the needs of our students, families, community members and staff.  

When MTSS is fully implemented: 
1) All students will receive instruction that aligns with their unique needs
2) All students will make one or more years of growth annually
3) All staff will deliver evidence-based instruction that aligns with the unique needs of students
4) The achievement and opportunity gaps among various student groups will be eliminated
5) All parents/families and stakeholders will be well-informed of Rockford Area Schools' MTSS framework

Rockford Area Schools MTSS Process Guide

For more information regarding MTSS, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation.

Rockford Area Schools supports student mental health needs through our school counseling department. Each RAS student is assigned to the on-site case management of a REAMS, RMS, or RHS licensed school counselor. In addition, RAS partners with Nystrom & Associates to provide on-site school-linked mental health services for our students.

For more information regarding school-linked mental health services, please contact your student's school counselor.

Minnesota State Statute 13.32 obligates Rockford Area School to disclose relevant information regarding student technology and technology providers.

The aforementioned statute states:
Within 30 days of the start of each school year, a public educational agency or institution must give parents and students direct and timely notice, by United States mail, e-mail, or other direct form of communication, of any curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider contract affecting a student's educational data.

The notice must:
(1) identify each curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider with access to educational data;
(2) identify the educational data affected by the curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider contract; and
(3) include information about the contract inspection and provide contact information for a school department to which a parent or student may direct questions or concerns regarding any program or activity that allows a curriculum, testing, or assessment technology provider to access a student's educational data.

Please find the current list of approved technology resources for Rockford Area Schools here: Digital Learning Tools

For more information regarding Student Technology and Data Privacy, please contact Kevin Neff, Data & Technology Integrationist.

2023-24 Rockford Areas Schools Student Assessment Calendar

Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Statewide Assessment Resources:
Parent/Guardian Guide and Refusal for Student Participation in Statewide Testing
MCA Parent Fact Sheet
MTAS Parent Fact Sheet

District Assessment Coordinator (DAC):
Kevin Neff
(P):763-477-9165 ext. 4010
(E): NeffK@rockford.k12.mn.us

Summer Programming provides engaging academically-based opportunities for students in grades K-8 and credit recovery options for students in grades 9-12 who may be struggling in the regular school program and need additional time to develop skills and abilities. The purpose is to develop the skills needed to be successful in the regular school program.

For more information regarding Summer Programming, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation or your student's school counselor.

Targeted Services provides after school and summer programs for students in grades K-8 who may be struggling in the regular school program and need additional time to develop skills and abilities. Targeted Services are designed for meeting the needs of the whole child. Therefore, it is not more of the same teaching and learning that occurs during the school day, but a different approach to engage students with the teacher, school and community. The purpose is to develop the skills needed to be successful in the regular school program.

For more information regarding Targeted Services, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation or your student's school counselor.

Title I: The largest federal program aiding elementary and secondary education, Title I provides supplemental funding to ensure students from low-income families succeed academically.

Title II: Title II aims to improve teacher and principal quality through recruitment and professional development.

Title III: Title III aims to improve and enhance the education of English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students by helping them attain English proficiency and meet state academic achievement standards.

Title IV: Also called the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, Title IV provides academic enrichment opportunities to complement regular academic programs.

For more information regarding Title programs at Rockford Area Schools, please contact Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover, Superintendent/Director of Learning & Innovation.

For more information regarding World's Best Workforce, please contact Superintendent Dr. Jeff Ridlehoover. A copy of the current World's Best Workforce Report can be found below.

2023-2024 Rockford Area Schools World's Best Workforce Report