Robbinsdale Area Schools See Graduation Rate Reach 10-Year High

Robbinsdale Area Schools are celebrating a milestone achievement in the district’s high school graduation rate.

Minnesota Department of Education figures recently released show the district’s four-year graduation rate reached a 10-year high. It’s also the first time in a decade that the percentage of students graduating from Robbinsdale schools is higher than the state average.

The four-year graduation rate for Robbinsdale district students is 84.6 percent, a full percentage point higher than the state number of 83.6 percent.

“This data shows how the hard work of our students and educators is paying off,” said Robbinsdale Superintendent David Engstrom.

The district has also seen significant gains in closing racial achievement gaps. Nearly 85 percent of Black and African-American students graduated last year, a seven-point jump from 2021. Hispanic and Latino students had a 76.1 percent graduation rate last year, a 6.8 point increase.

“This is evidence that some of the work we’re doing in our high schools, particularly for students of color, is starting to resonate,” said Engstrom.

While the district is celebrating the gains, it also acknowledges there’s work left to do. The district notes that graduation rates among Asian (90 percent), white (88.7 percent) and students of two or more races (85.7 percent) each fell by about 1 percentage point.

The results were also mixed for district high schools. Cooper High School’s graduation rate climbed to 90.7 percent, an increase of 3.9 points. Armstrong High School, meanwhile, fell 2.7 points to 89.5 percent.

“We can celebrate this news today, but it’s important to understand we still have areas where we need to do a better job,” said Engstrom. “Our goal as a school district is for every one of our students to graduate, and we will continue to work to make that a reality.”

Also See: Standout Student: Armstrong High School’s Rachel Olson Plays at Carnegie Hall

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