ST. CLOUD - The Minnesota Department of Education Multiple Measurement Ratings says that three St. Cloud area schools aren't doing enough to close the achievement gap.

Talahi Community School has fallen to the lowest five percent of schools among those eligible for funding for reading and math, making it a "priority school". Talahi is one of 44 Minnesota schools now considered a priority.

The Minnesota Department of Education says fewer than 25 percent in the school succeeded in reading and fewer than 30 percent in math.

Madison Elementary and Discovery Community School are rated as "focus schools", putting them in the bottom 10 percent. Madison is now in its second year as a focus school.

The rankings are taken from the results of MEA tests, which measure reading and math skills. The schools are required to spend 20 percent of their federal funds on school improvement work.

The St. Cloud school district says it has plans in place to reduce the achievement gap at the three schools over the next few years.

Minnesota as a whole has committed to cutting the achievement gap in-half by 2017 and reaching a 90 percent graduation rate by 2020.

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