Graduation Rates Climb at Local Schools
High school graduation rates for most local districts increased slightly in 2017. The upward climb mirrors a statewide trend, which had nearly 83 percent of students graduate on time last school year, an all-time high.
The graduation rate at Robbinsdale Area Schools increased to 79.4 percent last year, up from 78.1 percent in 2013. The Osseo and Hopkins school districts also saw modest gains. Osseo increased from 83.3 percent in 2013 to 84 percent, while Hopkins saw it rate climb from 87 percent to 88.9 percent.
Wayzata remained near the top of the state, with a 94.8 percent graduation rate, up from 91.1 percent in 2013.
Gains Among Some Racial Groups
Officials with the Osseo School District say they’re excited to see their graduation rates continue to climb. They say it’s a sign that the initiatives they’ve put in place at the elementary and secondary levels are working.
“Some of the things that we’ve done are with advanced placement courses, that we’ve increased those offerings at the senior high school,” said Angie Freese, Osseo’s research, assessment and accountability director. “We’ve also expanded our check and connect programs at the secondary levels to reduce dropout rates and increase engagement for our black students and our American Indian students with disabilities.”
While progress overall has been made, there are still wide disparities along racial and income lines. In the Osseo School District, the graduation rate for white students was 91.5 percent and 90.7 percent for Asian students, but for black students it was 71 percent and 67 percent for Hispanic students. Still the district fared better than statewide graduation rates for students of color.
“If something about the school environment isn’t working for a student, we need to collaborate with those students to figure out, what could we be doing to promote that engagement, continue that investment and share that partnership with our learners,” Freese said. “To make sure that, again, every kid has the power to make an informed choice about what their next step is after high school.”
The district also noted that for some students, like those in special education programs, the seven-year graduation rate is a more appropriate number to look at. And in the Osseo School District, the seven-year graduate rate is at 92 percent.
You can view high school graduation rates on the Minnesota Department of Education website.
