Study: Mpls. Can't Even Graduate Half Its Students (Minneapolis, St. Paul: renting, transfer)

[Simple Living]

Study: Mpls. Can't Even Graduate Half Its Students

CBS News Interactive: Education In America

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Seventeen of the nation's 50 largest cities had high school graduation rates lower than 50 percent, with the lowest graduation rates reported in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, according to a report released Tuesday.

The report, issued by America's Promise Alliance, found that about half of the students served by public school systems in the nation's largest cities receive diplomas. Students in suburban and rural public high schools were more likely to graduate than their counterparts in urban public high schools, the researchers said.

Nationally, about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma and about 1.2 million students drop out annually.

"When more than 1 million students a year drop out of high school, it's more than a problem, it's a catastrophe," said former Secretary of State Colin Powell, founding chair of the alliance.

(Click on the link for the rest of the story. This is from WCCO.)

[kuan]

That's because Minneapolis parents are sending all their kids to the suburbs which have an 80% rate.

[Ben Around]

This is easily explained. Over the past decade or two, Minneapolis has had an influx of desparately poor, dysfunctional families from Chicago and other Midwestern cities, as well as immigrants from third world countries. Of course many large US cities have lots of poor people in them, but comparatively speaking, they are a much more stable population than Mpls.'s newcomers. The ranking speaks more to where the kids are at, rather than where the schools are at. It would behoove the entire Metro area if we could get a handle on this by working with the kids and their parents to impress on them the value of education. Easier said than done, but just writing this off will come back to bite our area.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Ben Around

This is easily explained. Over the past decade or two, Minneapolis has had an influx of desparately poor, dysfunctional families from Chicago and other Midwestern cities, as well as immigrants from third world countries. Of course many large US cities have lots of poor people in them, but comparatively speaking, they are a much more stable population than Mpls.'s newcomers. The ranking speaks more to where the kids are at, rather than where the schools are at. It would behoove the entire Metro area if we could get a handle on this by working with the kids and their parents to impress on them the value of education. Easier said than done, but just writing this off will come back to bite our area.

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.

[Simple Living]

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.

Bravo! Author! Amen! :::Standing Ovation:::

Very well said, golfgal!

[nick is rulz]

urban sprawl rah rah rah! urban sprawl rah rah rah!

[Haver]

Flawed study.

Heard on NPR that school transfers aren't factored in. If you're waiting for a slot to open up at a magnet school and get in, or move to another city, that counts as "not graduating".So cities that offer a lot of choices are penalized.

[Slig]

Also that study is 5 years old. Minneapolis schools have significantly improved graduation rates since then.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

Also that study is 5 years old. Minneapolis schools have significantly improved graduation rates since then.

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.

[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.