MINNEAPOLIS — New numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) show the state's four-year graduation rate is down slightly in 2023, after several notable increases the previous year.
Data compiled from districts across Minnesota show 83.3% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, a dip of .3% from 2022. State education officials believe the decline can be attributed to an increase of .4% in a category referred to as "unknown," which tracks students who were incorrectly recorded or not reported as enrolled in another district. MDE said that re-enforces the need for schools to keep track of and report every single student during the course of their high school career.
"I am proud of the students in the Class of 2023," said MDE Commissioner Willie Jett. "Every student has a unique story, and their effort and commitment deserve celebration. I am also grateful for the hard work our educators, families and communities invest into supporting our students."
2023 graduation data shows a decrease in rates for Black, Asian, Latino and English learner groups, while graduation rates for American Indian and special education students held steady.
- Black students: 72.1% - 1.4% decrease
- Asian students: 85.4% - 1.9% decrease
- Latino students: 69.2% - .1% decrease
- American Indian: 61.3% - no change
- White: 88.7% - .3% increase
- Special education: 65.6% - .1% increase
- English learners: 63.4% - 1.6% decrease
Students in the class of 2023 were just freshmen when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Despite challenges, graduation rates in Minnesota's largest district, Anoka-Hennepin Schools, rose .7% from 2022. It was the second highest hike in district history.
"We worked real hard and made additional investments in academic support, in mental health support," superintendent Cory McIntyre said. "We know that 9th graders need to do really well and that's a strong predictor of graduation in the future, so making sure that there were strong connections to the adults, to each other."
Compared to the statewide graduation rate of 83.3%, 86.7% percent of Anoka-Hennepin students graduated in 2023, a difference of 3.4%.
"All school districts are working real hard like we are to close those achievement gaps," said McIntyre, who joined the district last summer.
This is now the third consecutive year rates dropped in St. Paul Public Schools. This time about 73% of students graduated, including summer graduates. The district says solutions include increasing access to internships and bringing real-world experiences into the classroom.
Meanwhile Minneapolis Public Schools' rates also declined despite a rise in 2022.
"The decrease of 8.9% from 2022 to 2023 excludes our summer school graduate data," its website reads. "After an internal recalculation, our estimate is that the MPS 4-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 is actually 73.6%, a decrease of 3.1% rather than 8.9%."
Both districts point to the pandemic and shifts to distance learning as a reason for the decline.
"All school districts did get an infusion of federal dollars to add those supports, and this is the last year of those dollars and those resources," McIntyre said. "And [we're] working with our legislature, working with our communities on how do we continue to prioritize the kind of supports we need?"
To find out how students in your child's district and school performed, check out the 2023 Minnesota Report Card on the MDE website.
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