A multi-partisan collaboration of Minnesota Alliance With Youth, Office of the Governor, & Minnesota Department of Education

Why focus on High School Graduation?  Talk with the person next to you!  Compared to young people who drop out of school, high school graduates are (on average)  More likely to be employed & not living in poverty  Less likely to be involved with the criminal justice system  More likely to have positive life outcomes (better health and longer life span)  More like likely to pursue postsecondary education  Economic impact (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2016)  The more you learn, the more you earn.  A high school graduate earns $8,000 more annually compared to a high school dropout.  In Minnesota, if the graduation rate of the class of 2013 had been 90% instead of 80% (6,000 more graduates) annual earnings would have increased by $78 million

How Are We Doing Nationally? (Common Core of Data, National Center on Education Statistics, 2015)  What is the national 4 year graduation rate (2014) in the US? 82.3%  How many states exceed the national graduation rate? 29  Which state has reached a 90% graduation rate? Iowa  The state of Minnesota’s graduation rate is lower than the national average. (True or False) True, 81.2%  Graduation rates are reported at the federal and state level by categories Race, Special Education, Free-Reduced Price Lunch, Limited English Proficient What is the gap between graduation rates for low-income students and non-low income students? 14.4 percentage points (74.6% vs. 89%)

How are we doing statewide? (Minnesota Department of Education, 2016)  How many students dropped out or had a “status unknown” out of 4 year cohort in 2015? 5001 (7.6%)  Since 2010 Minnesota has closed the graduation gap by XX%? 12 percentage points  What is the largest gap between student groups? 35 percentage points How is your district or school doing?  Go to Go to “graduation rates”

MN 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate (2015) (MN Dept. of Ed.) GraduatedContinuingDropped OutUnknown 81.9%10.6%5.2%2.4% 54,2557,0023,4131,588

Statewide Graduation Rates

Educational disparities (gaps) between student groups (typically by income level and race, ethnicity, and place) are apparent in:  Ready for kindergarten  Reading and math achievement  Representation in accelerated (IB) or honors coursework  Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)  High school graduation rates  Participation in college entrance tests (e.g., ACT, SAT)  Enrollment in postsecondary education  Graduation from college  And more, such as low/high wage jobs, health care, home ownership, early childhood education, enrichment opportunities  Systemic barriers create a cycle of poverty that continues to yield disparities.  What can each person do today, tomorrow, and in the future to help close the gap?

Minnesota Compass mncompass.org

A Few Additional Thoughts…

What is GradMinnesota? A mobilizing force that…  Brings multiple partners together – collective impact approach  Builds public awareness of the disparities in graduation rates between our student groups  Highlights barriers that divert young people from completing high school  Highlights solutions that are working to engage young people in school and learning so that they are more likely to complete high school  Elevates youth voice to inform the work You are an Important Part of a Mobilizing Force!

GradMinnesota Mission & Vision  Mission: Through collective impact that engages youth, practitioners and policymakers, all youth in Minnesota will achieve a 90% graduation rate by 2020 and become successfully involved in post-secondary opportunities.  Vision: All young people in Minnesota graduate from high school prepared for success in postsecondary opportunities, work, civic engagement and life.

GradMinnesota Goals  Goal: Increase the overall four-year graduation rate to 90% by  Remember… it is not just about raising the graduation rate to 90% by  Goal: Increase graduation rates by at least 3% annually for student groups identified in 2012 to have graduation rates less than 70%, so that all students achieve a 90% graduation rate by These student groups include: American Indian, Black, Hispanic, Free and Reduced Price Lunch, Special Education, and Limited English Proficient. What do we know?  Who drops out and why  What will help students stay on the path to graduation  Interventions, strategies and supports that have proven successful

Priority Recommendations These recommendations were developed and approved by members of GradMinnesota in February, They highlight key areas that are the focus of GradMinnesota’s work.  1. Ensure quality data is available and used.  2. Effectively implement a tiered framework of interventions and supports.  3. Increase mentoring throughout the state.  4. Recover and re-engage youth.  5. Implement alternatives to suspensions and expulsions.  6. Make transportation accessible to all students.  7. Provide effective alternative pathways to a diploma.

Key Strategies to Accomplish Goals  Legislative Advocacy: Advocate at the legislature to build awareness, influence best practice, and pass legislation  Communication: Design and implement a communication plan to raise public awareness and inform community, school and other relevant organizations of the graduation crisis and potential solutions  On-line Resource Library: Design and compile an electronic Resource Library that can be used to disseminate best practices and locate technical assistance focused on the seven GradMinnesota Recommendations  Collective Impact: Maintain and further develop an alliance of entities working together to achieve and sustain the GradMinnesota 2020 vision and goals.