State Graduation Rates: Two wildly different takes

In a new state by state ranking of high school graduation rates, Minnesota comes in...well...it's complicated.

Consider these two local headlines on the rankings, both published on June 4th:

From the Star Tribune:
Minnesota's graduation rate is among highest in the United States

And from the Minnesota Public Radio website:
Minnesota ranks at bottom for black graduation rate

The Strib story continues its sunny-side approach past the subhed ("In 2005, 78 percent of Minnesota's seniors graduated; a new study showed that that rate was ninth in the nation.") and well into the story itself.

Here's what the article has to say about the bad news:

The study also confirms the education chasm between Minnesota's white and minority students. Smaller percentages of minority students graduate from high school than the national average.

For instance, the Class of 2005 graduation rate for black students in Minnesota was 39 percent compared to the national average of 55 percent. For Hispanic students, the graduation rate of 42 percent in Minnesota compared to 58 percent nationwide.

"We do believe the graduation rate is something we need to pay attention to," said Minnesota Education Commissioner Alice Seagren. "When you look at the national averages, no matter what formula you use, we usually turn out well compared to the other states. But when you look at the achievement gap [between white and non-white students], we chronically underperform in those areas, so the achievement gap persists."

The Minnesota Public Radio piece has no sunny side at all, and adds this to the discussion:

This year's report ranks Minnesota at the bottom of the 37 states that have consistently reported graduation rates for black students. The rate declined by nearly 10 percent between 2002 and 2005, the last year for which data is available.

Christopher Swanson, research director for the project, said the trend is counter to improving graduation rates in general.

"The nation as a whole is improving, and all the major racial and ethnic groups are also improving. That's not the story in every community," Swanson explained. "So I think its important, when we do see that a particular group is on the decline, you know, to take a really close look and see what's going on there."

Minnesota and Wisconsin have ranked in the bottom 10 states for black graduation for the last four years.