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Recent study cites graduation rates…
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By JAN WILLMS Is Minneapolis failing its students? Yes, according to a recent study done by America’s Promise Alliance, a drop-out prevention group founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell. The group found that Minneapolis ranked 45th out of 50 cities in its 2003-04 graduation rates of 43.7 per cent. However, David Heistad, executive director of research, evaluation and assessment for Minneapolis Public Schools, strongly disagrees with that number. “When I saw that we fell below cities like New York and Los Angeles in graduation rates, I knew something was wrong,” he said. Minnesota’s own research showed a graduation rate of 67.2 per cent in 2007. Heistad said the America’s Promise Alliance study was four years old and also considered only youths who started in the 9th grade and graduated from the same school. “The formula doesn’t count kids who move out of the district, who switch to charter schools or suburban schools or move out of state,” he said. “We have a very good tracking system in Minnesota,” Heistad said. “If a student leaves Washburn and moves to Edina, that student may first be listed as a dropout. But when Edina requests the student’s file, we go in and change the codes.” The student, who eventually graduates from Edina, is not considered a drop-out. “Still,” Heistad continued, “one-third of our students are not graduating on time.” He said there has been a lot of progress since the 2003-04 school years, although even then Minnesota showed a graduation rate of 52.8 per cent compared to the study’s 43.7 per cent. Heistad said the graduation rate is higher when only the urban public high schools are counted. As an example, the most recent graduation rate for South High in Minneapolis is 94.4 per cent. Statistics for the seven Minneapolis high schools show a graduation rate of 86.4 per cent. That drops 20 points when the alternative schools are factored in. “We’re putting in a whole new set of contracts with alternative schools,” Heistad said. He said students could be attending an alternative school for academic or social reasons. “Most are for kids for whom the mainstream hasn’t worked, as a generalization,” he said. “They tend to have missed credits and can’t graduate in time. We are trying to keep them engaged.” He said alternative students may be highly mobile, homeless or living on their own. They may have families of their own. Heistad said these youth are more at risk of not graduating. Heistad said the goal of the No Child Left Behind act is for an 80 per cent graduation rate, including alternative schools. Heistad cited several programs that are in place to help raise the graduation rate. The Check and Connect Program, for example, offers individual monitoring with students. A significant adult who has the time to listen is key to this program. Heistad said students are checked to make sure they are getting the course requirements for graduation and that they are learning study skills. He said that if there is no significant adult at their home who can help, that adult can be part of the school system. “This program started in one school, around 2000, and has grown to be in most of our high schools,” Heistad said. “It is specifically for dropout prevention.” According to Heistad, poor attendance is a big forecaster of dropouts. “It starts in elementary school,” he said. He said the truancy prevention program begins with a letter sent out after so many days of absence, followed up by contacts from truant officers. Heisted said there are a number of students who are in circumstances in which they raise themselves and are at high risk of dropping out. Some live in station wagons or with relatives and are highly mobile. Heistad fears increasing foreclosures may increase this number of students. “There’s a group of resilient homeless kids, a whole area we need to learn a lot more about,” he said. These students, in spite of factors working against them, manage to succeed. He said the presence of gangs does not help the graduation rate. “I think there’s competition with academic purposes in many cases,” he said. “Behavior problems, disrespect and verbal aggression all correlate with students dropping out.” He said City Inc. tries to engage youth who are involved in gangs. Heistad said another factor that may improve opportunities for urban students is high school redesign, in which smaller specialty schools will be created. Looking at the statistics for minority students, he said that although progress has been made, the gap is high between them and white students. He said that Native American students have 44 per cent graduating; Hispanics, 33 per cent; African Americans, 64 per cent and whites 88 per cent. Asian students are close behind, with 79 per cent graduating. “There was a large increase last year for African Americans, and I hope the trend continues,” he said. Heistad said students who do not have English as their native language and students who are in special ed are less likely to graduate. “If you can’t read, the probabilities are high that you will drop out,” he said. He said it is important to catch the kids who are at risk at an early stage. Heistad said he met with a faith-based group recently that was working with children in kindergarten and first grade. “At the first sign of an attendance problem, they put the kids into a star program,” he said, adding that children are encouraged to attend school regularly. Heistad said the number of after-school community groups connecting adults with children has helped students stay in school. He said that as important as the quantity of graduates, however, is the quality. “We want both rigor and higher graduation rates,” he said. “The way people figure graduation rates is a highly political activity,” Nathan said. “Unquestionably public education in the urban areas needs to work very actively to increase the number of kids graduating.” Nathan said that discussing students who have left the state, moved to an alternative school or to a suburban school will always raise a philosophical debate. “There are lots of different ways to figure graduation rates,” he said. “But another issue is that the percentage of graduates needing to take remedial courses when they enter an institution of higher learning is shockingly high.” “Dr. Heistad, whom I greatly respect, would agree something has to be done,” he said. Nathan cited a report recently prepared by MNSCU, “Getting Prepared: A 2008 Report on Recent High School Graduates Who Took Developmental/Remedial Courses.” According to the report, 49 per cent of students from Minnesota high schools went on to higher learning. Of those 49 per cent, 38 per cent took one or more remedial courses in reading, writing and math. The study covered the years 2003 to 2006. The study indicated that because of reporting differences, it is difficult to compare Minnesota students with those graduating from other states. It did find, however, that a high number of students nation-wide are taking remedial courses when attending institutions of higher learning, particularly community colleges. Although Minnesota investments in K-12 standards and school reform should pay off in a diminished need for remedial training, the study reported that it is too early to determine whether those efforts have been successful. Even South High, with its high graduation rate, fell victim to a need for developmental training. Of 1299 graduates between 2003 and 2006, 50 per cent went on to Minnesota public higher education. But of those graduates, 39 per cent required at least one remedial course. “Minneapolis is doing a terrific job with some kids, but they need to do more,” Nathan said. |
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“One-third of our students are not - David Heistad, executive director of research, |
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