Officials working to lower achievement gap, truancy

Albert Lea Area Schools officials are taking steps to increase the district’s graduation rate in the wake of a slight decrease in its 2014-15 graduation rate.

According to Minnesota Department of Education graduation statistics released Monday, 75.7 percent of 2014-15 Albert Lea seniors graduated, a slight decrease from the 76.6 percent of seniors in the previous year’s graduating class.

Specifically, there were 243 students in the class, and 184 graduated.

Director of Secondary Education Kathy Niebuhr said the district is continuing to try to close the graduation rate and its achievement gap through targeted instruction of students and implementing a program for eighth- and ninth-graders that provides smaller class sizes. A teacher works with students in English, science and social studies.

The district worked with truancy officers through Freeborn County this year to reduce truancy and improve school attendance. An additional truancy officer, Alex Routh, is working with Albert Lea High School students and families. Niebuhr said the district is seeing positive results from that.

“Improving high school graduation rates is a system-wide effort to engage students in quality curriculum and instruction, as well as provide supports for individual students as they need them,” Niebuhr said.

The district is also conducting after-school tutoring and busing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Of the 24.3 percent of students who didn’t graduate in four years, 10.7 percent  — or 26 students — dropped out, and 11.5 percent — or 28 students — were continuing to work toward their high school diploma. The district did not have information about five students.

Niebuhr said she understands English learners may have a difficult time graduating in four years because they are also trying to learn a language on top of their academic schedule.

According to state data, half of the 28 Hispanics who were seniors in the 2014-15 school year graduated.

Ten were listed as having dropped out, two were listed as continuing and two were listed as unknown.

Niebuhr said though the district is aiming for higher graduation rates, it is pleased that 93.8 percent of students in the 2014 class were set to graduate high school within five years.

According to state data, 86.6 percent of Albert Lea High School seniors graduated in 2015 compared to 23.8 percent of Albert Lea Area Learning Center students.

Graduation rates at Albert Lea Area Schools have increased since 2011:

• 2010-11: 69.9 percent

• 2011-12: 67.2 percent

• 2012-13: 71.3 percent

• 2013-14: 76.6 percent

According to state data, the 2014-15 statewide graduation rate was 81.9 percent.

Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Casselius said reaching the statewide goal of 90 percent graduation doesn’t happen in one year, and said it’s important the state looks at trends. She said since 2010 the state has seen the number of students graduating high school increase each year, and said the graduation gap between white students and students of color has decreased by 12 percentage points since 2010.

“Graduating from high school is an important step in a student’s life, opening doors to higher education, a wider array of jobs and better wages throughout their lifetimes,” Cassellius said in a press release. “Every percentage point, every increase, whether it’s a one decimal point or double digits, represents another student who is graduating high school prepared for their next step in life.”

According to 2015 state data on graduation rates:

51.9 percent of American Indian students graduated in 2015, a 7.7 percent increase since 2010.

82.7 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander students graduated, a 12.7 percent increase since 2010.

62 percent of African-American students graduated, up 15.6 percent since 2010.

65.6 percent of Hispanic students graduated, up 17.8 percent since 2010.

 

Albert Lea Area Schools graduation rates

• 2010-11: 69.9 percent

• 2011-12: 67.2 percent

• 2012-13: 71.3 percent

• 2013-14: 76.6 percent

• 2014-15: 75.7 percent