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Minnesota Milestones 2010: High school graduation
 
 
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What were things like in 2002?

The following idicator summary is from the 2002 Minnesota Milestones and does not neccessarily reflect the current data trends.
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Indicator : High school graduation

Rationale: A high school diploma is a sign of basic academic competence. It is generally considered a minimum requirement for entry into the workforce and is an essential prerequisite for additional education and training.
About this indicator: There has been no significant change since 1996 in the percentage of public school ninth-graders who four years later graduate, continue in school or have dropped out. There has been a marked consistency in recent years in the percentage of ninth-graders who graduate four years later. Between 1996 and 2000, the percentage has floated between 78 and 79 percent.

Graduation rates vary widely among different racial and ethnic groups. While in 2000 83 percent of white students graduated on time, the rates were much lower for all other racial and ethnic groups:
• 68 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students (same as 1996)
• 47 percent of Hispanic students (up from 45 percent in 1996)
• 43 percent of American Indians (up from 37 percent in 1996)
• 37 percent of Black/African American students (up from 33 percent in 1996)

Substantial numbers of students of color do continue in high school beyond four years and eventually graduate.

Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, White (percent)
YearData
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, total (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, American Indian (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, Asian or Pacific Islander (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, Black/ African American (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, Hispanic (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, White (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, total (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, American Indian (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, Asian or Pacific Islander (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, Black/ African American (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, Hispanic (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, White (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, total (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, American Indian (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, Asian or Pacific Islander (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, Black/ African American (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, Hispanic (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, White (percent), Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning Edit trend | Edit data
Graduated, Total Dropped out, Black/ African American Dropped out, Hispanic Dropped out, White Continued, Total Continued, American Indian Continued, Asian or Pacific Islander Continued, Black/ African American Continued, Hispanic Continued, White Graduated, American Indian Graduated, Asian or Pacific Islander Graduated, Black/ African American Graduated, Hispanic Graduated, White Dropped out, Total Dropped out, American Indian Dropped out, Asian or Pacific Islander
199678.5% 44.0% 38.7% 8.7% 10.2% 23.1% 14.4% 22.9% 16.5% 9.1% 37.0% 69.0% 33.1% 44.3% 82.2% 11.3% 39.9% 16.7%
199778.2% 39.8% 37.6% 8.7% 10.5% 21.0% 14.1% 24.6% 18.7% 9.3% 41.0% 68.2% 35.6% 45.0% 81.9% 11.3% 37.9% 17.8%
199878.0% 38.4% 32.8% 8.5% 11.0% 21.1% 15.7% 25.7% 18.0% 9.7% 43.4% 67.5% 35.9% 50.1% 81.9% 11.1% 35.4% 16.8%
199978.9% 36.4% 31.2% 8.2% 10.4% 22.8% 15.9% 25.0% 20.6% 9.0% 42.5% 68.8% 38.6% 48.5% 82.8% 10.7% 34.7% 15.3%
200078.5% 37.4% 33.0% 8.0% 10.8% 23.0% 16.3% 25.6% 19.9% 9.2% 42.6% 68.0% 37.0% 43.9% 82.8% 10.7% 34.4% 15.7%
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For comparison: Minnesota is one of only a few states to track students over four years in this way. Direct comparison with other states' published figures on high school graduation may therefore be misleading.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports the percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds who have completed high school. Nationally, the three-year average for 1998-2000 was 85.7 percent. Minnesota ranked sixth among all 50 states at 91.9 percent, behind Alaska, Maine, Missouri and North and South Dakota.

Things to think about: Gender and family income are also linked to graduation rates, although the differences are not as drastic as those by race/ethnicity. In 1999-2000, the graduation rate was higher for girls, 82 percent, than for boys, 75 percent. Only 61 percent of lower-income students (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) graduated on time in 1999-2000, compared to 84 percent of students not eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Technical notes: The Minnesota graduation statistics track only students who stay in the same school district from the ninth grade on. This excludes students who have dropped out before ninth grade and those who enter a school district after ninth grade. Students who graduated in 2000 were the first required to pass Minnesota's Basic Standards Tests in reading and math. Beginning in 2001, graduates were also required to pass a statewide writing test. There is no evidence that this has affected graduation rates.
Sources:
  • Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning, Completion Study for the Class of 2000, http://cfl.state.mn.us/,
  • U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core Data, www.nces.ed.gov
    • Related data trends:
    Related 2002 Milestones indicator:
    Other related indicators:
    Local data:
    School district level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, total (percent)

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    County level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later dropped out, total (percent)

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    School district level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, total (percent)

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    County level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later continued, total (percent)

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    School district level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, total (percent)

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    County level data:
    Public school ninth-graders who four years later graduated, total (percent)

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    Milestones is a product of the Minnesota State Demographic Center, a division of the Department of Administration