New Newsweek "Top" High School report--interesting (Minneapolis, Eagan: bankruptcy, magnet schools)

[golfgal]

They have started taking into consideration graduation rates, college acceptances, average ACT/SAT scores and course offerings-not just how many AP/IB tests are taken and big surprise, not a single Minneapolis school on the list . Now, it is entirely possible that they did not fill out the survey, like our schools, but since they tout this "ranking" on their websites so much, I doubt that is the case.

The "top" in the nation are sill selective admission schools, not true public schools.

America's Best High Schools - Newsweek

[southernsmoke]

Originally Posted by golfgal

They have started taking into consideration graduation rates, college acceptances, average ACT/SAT scores and course offerings-not just how many AP/IB tests are taken and big surprise, not a single Minneapolis school on the list . Now, it is entirely possible that they did not fill out the survey, like our schools, but since they tout this "ranking" on their websites so much, I doubt that is the case.

The "top" in the nation are sill selective admission schools, not true public schools.

America's Best High Schools - Newsweek

It is interesting, considering the hype that C-D posters love to give Minneapolis (and Minnesota in general) schools. Honestly I don't like to get too into the school snobbishness anyway, but I did think that the list was interesting when I saw it earlier today.

[eastside38]

Well since 75% of the posters on this forum act as if the city of Minneapolis (schools included) is God's cosmopolitan gift to the United States, it's nice to see some numbers that show that Minneapolis isn't quite as great of a city that everyone says it is. That's what she's trying to show. Sorry that your haven has been tarnished...
[mod cut: in reference to deleted post]

[uptown_urbanist]

I think it's pretty obvious that a list is just a list, and that any data is just a starting point for more investigation. What makes this list any better than any other list? I think all the schools on the list last year are great schools; I think all the schools on the list this year are also great schools.

And, for that matter, what does this have to do with the Minneapolis Public Schools? And are those of you who see this report as about Minneapolis, does that mean that every other high school on this list is automatically "bad" or "not good"? Anyone with an ounce of sense can see the flaws in that logic. And this was very obviously a slam at Southwest High School in particular -- maybe they're feeling a little threatened by Southwest's success out there in the outer 'burbs? After all, kids in the city are supposed to stay in their place and not threaten the views of some that only kids in suburbs can succeed and are suited for life in the academic fast lane? Really, if someone uses being listed on Newsweek's list is THE litmus test for a good school, then they could use a little help on the education front themselves. This list says nothing about the schools that aren't on the list. Obviously the schools that made the list ARE good schools (and are mostly located in wealthy areas where obviously the numbers are undiluted by, say, ELL kids, kids who can't necessarily afford to head to college right away, etc.), but did we really need a list to tell us that? Congratulations to the Twin Cities schools singled out for praise. But, for those of you who don't see your schools on the list, rest assured that most of us are well aware that your school can still offer a quality education -- and send kids off to the Ivies, produce National Merit Scholars, or whatever other metric of "success" you want to use -- even if it didn't make this year's (or last year's, for that matter) list.

And again, do you people REALLY think that any school not on this list is somehow "bad"? How in the world did you come to that conclusion? Minneapolis still has some excellent high schools, whether or not they made the 2011 Newsweek list. So do many other districts in the Twin Cities.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

They have started taking into consideration graduation rates, college acceptances, average ACT/SAT scores and course offerings-not just how many AP/IB tests are taken and big surprise, not a single Minneapolis school on the list . Now, it is entirely possible that they did not fill out the survey, like our schools, but since they tout this "ranking" on their websites so much, I doubt that is the case.

The "top" in the nation are sill selective admission schools, not true public schools.

America's Best High Schools - Newsweek

Yeah, looks like only 9 schools from Minnesota made the top 500 list. I don't see schools like Rosemount, Eagan and Eastview anywhere on that list either....should we be equally surprised by that?

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by golfgal

They have started taking into consideration graduation rates, college acceptances, average ACT/SAT scores and course offerings-not just how many AP/IB tests are taken and big surprise, not a single Minneapolis school on the list . Now, it is entirely possible that they did not fill out the survey, like our schools, but since they tout this "ranking" on their websites so much, I doubt that is the case.

The "top" in the nation are sill selective admission schools, not true public schools.

America's Best High Schools - Newsweek

Mounds View has had the highest test scores 3 years running, surprised to see they didn't make it. Mpls SW was in the top-100 (not 500) last year. Some interesting stuff there.

[southernsmoke]

Originally Posted by Mason3000

Mounds View has had the highest test scores 3 years running, surprised to see they didn't make it. Mpls SW was in the top-100 (not 500) last year. Some interesting stuff there.

I was reading a story about the list, and Mpls SW is not the only top 100 school from last year's list to drop out of the top 500 with the new, more comprehensive methodology.

[GBCommenter]

Well...there seems to be a bit of bitterness and vitriol all around (not the least of which from deleted posts - rightfully deleted at that...I'm willing to listen to differing viewpoints but once you descend into petty namecalling, it really only shows the bankruptcy of your arguments that you're trying to cover with that namecalling).

Frankly, while I'm not an avid defender of public schools in general, even I would have to say I'm less impressed by this list (and most like it). As the saying goes, "there's lies, da**ned lies, and then there's statistics". This list ignores plenty of factors that one really should take a look and consider. Even I would say the top MN school on this survey, Edina (#76), probably has more financial resources for their students than others - if not through the schools themselves through alternate private means. It also brushes over the point that even Golfgal made - it really focuses on selective admission schools - or schools with focused curriculums that will naturally draw higher achieving students and parents.

There's likely other factors not being considered behind these numbers that I'm just not thinking about at the moment. To that end, I cannot place much credence in this list for anything more than selling magazines and advertising because people want to gloss over the real stories behind the lipstick on this fluffy pig of a news article. Granted, that happens with a lot of news and issues in this country, but that's another discussion.

[eastside38]

I think golfgal's ultimate point here is that she has something that refutes Southwest's (and Henry's) standing on the list and the air of superiority of those that point to this list when they refer to Minneapolis as a city that is just as good as or better than the suburbs in every regard. I just hope that those who used this list previously to promote Minneapolis Public Schools on this forum don't suddenly backtrack and downplay this list that uses, to me, more sound research methodology than in the past. Maybe they didn't volunteer to participate in the rankings this year, but a top 100 ranking on any list that represents something so positive would be a hard thing to just give up.

In reference to my previous post, I realize that Minneapolis is miles ahead of other major cities in a lot of respects, and for that reason I like it quite a bit, but I don't love it. It has plenty of flaws.

[mod cut]

[southernsmoke]

Originally Posted by GBCommenter

Well...there seems to be a bit of bitterness and vitriol all around (not the least of which from deleted posts - rightfully deleted at that...I'm willing to listen to differing viewpoints but once you descend into petty namecalling, it really only shows the bankruptcy of your arguments that you're trying to cover with that namecalling).

Frankly, while I'm not an avid defender of public schools in general, even I would have to say I'm less impressed by this list (and most like it). As the saying goes, "there's lies, da**ned lies, and then there's statistics". This list ignores plenty of factors that one really should take a look and consider. Even I would say the top MN school on this survey, Edina (#76), probably has more financial resources for their students than others - if not through the schools themselves through alternate private means. It also brushes over the point that even Golfgal made - it really focuses on selective admission schools - or schools with focused curriculums that will naturally draw higher achieving students and parents.

There's likely other factors not being considered behind these numbers that I'm just not thinking about at the moment. To that end, I cannot place much credence in this list for anything more than selling magazines and advertising because people want to gloss over the real stories behind the lipstick on this fluffy pig of a news article. Granted, that happens with a lot of news and issues in this country, but that's another discussion.

I'm a little confused... Are you saying that schools in wealthy districts should have an asterik by their names or something? It's obvious that areas with more resources and family interest in education will produce students who score better, etc. But isn't that inherently part of the equation in considering which schools are "best"? (Same sort of deal with magnet schools and the like...)