Graduation Rates at All-time High, Local Districts See Gains

High school graduation rates reached an all-time high in Minnesota. But stubborn achievement gaps remain, especially along socioeconomic lines.

Minnesota’s graduation rate was at 83.2 percent, a half percentage point higher than a year ago, according to data released this week by the Minnesota Department of Education. Meanwhile, students eligible for free or reduced priced meals graduated at a 70.2 percent clip. It’s a stark difference compared to students not eligible for free or reduced priced meals. The four-year graduation rate for those students was 93.2 percent, 23 percentage points higher.

Local School Districts See Gains

Locally, nearly every traditional school district in the CCX News viewing area saw gains in graduation rates compared to a year ago. The Wayzata, Anoka-Hennepin, Osseo and Robbinsdale school districts all saw increases in 2018.

Brooklyn Center saw the biggest jump, climbing more than 11 percentage points. in 2017. Just half of the district’s students graduated in four years. That grew to 61 percent.

Only Hopkins saw a slight decline from the year prior, down nearly 3 percentage points.