Study: Mpls. Can't Even Graduate Half Its Students (Minneapolis, Eagan: middle-class, school district)

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by lalife

One has to wonder what these kids think they are going to do for jobs? Do they expect to have a decent life on service jobs or working in a factory / warehouse etc? A single person needs to make at least $20 an hour in the Twin Cities to have a good quality life with independence. $20 an hour jobs go to people who have graduated HS and have at least attended a vocational school.

That is the whole problem, many of the kids that don't graduate come from low income families, often on welfare. They just cycle through the system like their parents. Hard working, low income families tend to produce kids that want to finish school to better themselves vs families on welfare that have an entitlement attitude and are just fine getting welfare.

[Simple Living]

Again, golfgal's statement below is the key to improving our school systems.

Until you address the parenting issues the schools are NEVER going to improve. Teachers and schools can only do so much.

Slig has a point in that the information they do use isn't clearly labeled. You'd almost have to be an insider, or deeply involved in the school system, to understand what's being studied or used for information.

Kids today are going to have a difficult time in the real world when they turn in homework using online lingo in their homework. The saying "youth is wasted on the young" really is true.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Minneapolis has always this influx. They have never had good graduation rates. St. Paul schools aren't much better yet certain posters here keep saying what great schools they are, yes, great if you are the 99 kids that are in the IB programs they run, what about the other 10,000 that aren't?? Most of the suburban schools have 90%+ graduation rates. Open enrollment was designed to help those that wanted to move to better schools, some did, most couldn't be bothered. They set up busing for those that wanted even. Until you address the parenting issues the schools are NEVER going to improve. Teachers and schools can only do so much.

I said it before and I'll say it again: "The ranking speaks more to where the kids are at, rather than where the schools are at"

It's not for lack of resources that Minneapolis Public Schools aren't graduating more kids. MPS has excellent teachers and excellent programs.

And no, MPS has NOT always had this influx. It's only been recent decades. Compared to other US cities, Minneapolis has only recently experienced the turnover of its population. As many of the middle class families have left the city and have been replaced with poor families, it is NATURAL that the graduation rate would decline. It's about economic status and cultural values. Once you get a handle on poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance of the value of education, things will turn aroound. Pretty tall order, eh?

[talktobrent]

While I blame parents first and foremost... Our educations system is more flawed than ever as well. I always hear about how American schools are scoring very low in math and science and how we need increased emphasis on these subjects. I don't argue that basic knowledge in these subjects is absolutely essential, but lets be honest, how much of our student body really needs a comprehensive understanding of algebra, trigonometry, etc? The reality is, our education system is becoming a hopelessly obsolete institution. We teach these abstract skills with limited real world applicability, yet students don't know how to make a resume or even conduct themselves semi-professionally for a job interview. By focusing on test scores and statistics, we aren't addressing the real social problems behind these things. We aren't planting seeds in students minds for exploration of interests and skills. If you can motivate a student to learn, they will follow their interests and seek out the knowledge they need. Instead we set up arbitrary barriers via testing. Students don't need information spoon fed to them in this day and age, it's all about motivation and social influences.

[Huckleberry3911948]

very true. not only the academics stink, but they are dangerous and this lawless ghetto environment is forced upon little children.
voucher system, the sooner the better. kids deserve better, rich and poor alike.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by talktobrent

While I blame parents first and foremost... Our educations system is more flawed than ever as well. I always hear about how American schools are scoring very low in math and science and how we need increased emphasis on these subjects. I don't argue that basic knowledge in these subjects is absolutely essential, but lets be honest, how much of our student body really needs a comprehensive understanding of algebra, trigonometry, etc? The reality is, our education system is becoming a hopelessly obsolete institution. We teach these abstract skills with limited real world applicability, yet students don't know how to make a resume or even conduct themselves semi-professionally for a job interview. By focusing on test scores and statistics, we aren't addressing the real social problems behind these things. We aren't planting seeds in students minds for exploration of interests and skills. If you can motivate a student to learn, they will follow their interests and seek out the knowledge they need. Instead we set up arbitrary barriers via testing. Students don't need information spoon fed to them in this day and age, it's all about motivation and social influences.

What you say is true, but it is equally true in city schools and suburban schools.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Ben Around

What you say is true, but it is equally true in city schools and suburban schools.

Big surprise that I disagree with this. In our high school there is very extensive programming for non-college bound students. There are vocational type classes available, on-the-job-training/classes, the Environmental Studies school in our district offers a whole host of special interest programming for non-traditional students. Not everyone is college bound but there is a need for basic understanding of math, English, grammar, etc. even if you are not going to college.

[nick is rulz]

Originally Posted by lalife

A single person needs to make at least $20 an hour in the Twin Cities to have a good quality life with independence.

uhh nah....I have friends who make $13-$15 an hour that live decent lifestyles without a lot of debt because they arent frivolous and stupid with their money. They still go on trips and have fun and go out. Its very possible to live a decent quality of life on a fairly modest salary. The quality of life I live now compared to what it was when I made significantly less money isnt that much different, I just bank more now.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by golfgal

The study is new, using information from graduation rates from 4 years ago. Care to back up your statement with some facts? Minneapolis has always had graduation rates in that rage.

Graduation rates can be tricky, it depends on how they are calculated. Usually they take the kids that start high school vs the number that finish high school. If you move out of the school that usually isn't considered not graduating. Magnet schools would have no impact on that since they aren't high schools.

From the Star Tribune March 31, 2008:

"But Minneapolis school officials sharply disputed the low ranking, noting that the America's Promise study was based on four-year-old U.S. Education Department data recorded before the federal No Child Left Behind standards were fully in effect.

"We've improved a lot since then," said David Heistad, the school system's director for research, evaluation and assessment.

Minneapolis' own data showed a graduation rate of 67.2 for the past academic year, up from 60.7 percent in 2005-06."

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

From the Star Tribune March 31, 2008:

"But Minneapolis school officials sharply disputed the low ranking, noting that the America's Promise study was based on four-year-old U.S. Education Department data recorded before the federal No Child Left Behind standards were fully in effect.

"We've improved a lot since then," said David Heistad, the school system's director for research, evaluation and assessment.

Minneapolis' own data showed a graduation rate of 67.2 for the past academic year, up from 60.7 percent in 2005-06."

Sorry but even 67.2% is pretty pathetic compared to the 90+% in the suburbs, many in the 98% range. You do realize that the Minneapolis district is the 2nd largest in the state and those 32.8% of kids translates into hundreds of kids that aren't graduating from high school. Very sad.