Response to "Vanishing Graduates & Minnesota's Future"

By Katherine Bristol, April Guest Blogger

Minnesota is a prosperous place; the state ranks highly in many social and economic indicators.  The state’s  affluence can be traced to wise investment and policy decisions made by past generations.  However, as we progress into the 21st century, this prosperity is not guaranteed.  In order to be competitive globally, Minnesota needs a highly‐skilled workforce.  Regrettably, several indicators of educational attainment demonstrate that the state is not meeting this standard.  This is especially true for communities of color, which comprise a major source of future workers.  And while Minnesota has the third highest high school completion rate among all states, following high school, about 65 percent of Minnesotans enroll in postsecondary education.  Sustaining this high rate will be a challenge for Minnesota’s high schools and postsecondary institutions.

The total number of high school graduates is projected to decline by 10 percent from 2005 to 2010.  This will occur as children of the baby boomers (“the boomlet”) move beyond the high school age.  According to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, “Unless high school to college participation rates increase—especially among low‐income students, students of color and other students who are traditionally underrepresented in post‐secondary education — colleges will have a smaller pool of students from which to recruit (Minnesota Office of Higher Education 2006).”

“Vanishing Graduates” addresses the economic and social issues associated with a lower number of college graduates.  It got me thinking about what are some practical changes that could be made, without addressing widespread issues such as federal funding and teacher quality. I was able to come up with two, based on my previous research and experience:

1. Set High Standards.  Minnesota must be a national leader in public education.  In order to accomplish this ambitious objective, every student, family, teacher, school, district and program must be held to the high standards.  These goals must be transparent to all, specific and measurable.  Although it may seem counterintuitive, setting high standards is key to improving outcomes for low‐income or minority students who begin school with significant deficits in cognitive, social, and academic skills.
2. Empower Communities, Schools and Individuals.  Empowerment at the community, school and individual levels bestows control to members of marginalized communities who have often been denied that privilege. That control fosters senses of ownership and pride.  When communities are empowered to be involved in their schools, schools are empowered to take control of their own resources, parents are empowered to take initiative in their children’s learning, and young people are empowered to get involved in their communities, the end result will be improved outcomes for students.

I would like to know your thoughts on these suggestions, or the show in general! Please feel free to post your opinion below in the comment section, and we can get the conversation about this important issue started!

Comments

[Adolfo Rudy Cardona, Publisher, Latino Midwest News]

If the state’s future depends so highly on education, then businesses, organizations, community leaders, parents, teachers and higher education, among many other, must play a bigger leadership role to ensure that more of Minnesota’s young people are completing high school and earning bachelor’s and graduate degrees. Easier said than done; yet, it can be done.

Efforts in working towards a solution can be accomplished only by a personalized and continuous engagement with our youth. It is an assignment that must be firmly assumed by every member of our community and must be done with a soothing voice and in a caring way but yet, with a sense of urgency!.

For instance, businesses can provide more working or volunteer opportunities for high school students. This initiative alone sends a strong message to our youth. It is a way of acknowledging our youth's ability to contribute. Also, it is a way of validating their belief that they are important and that they mean the world to every one in this society. These meaningful and hopefully personalized experiences build confidence and character.

Likewise, parents can nurture the lives of kids and teenagers by becoming more involved in every facet of their precious lives. Communication based on respect plays a pivotal share in developing the right nurturing environment for children of any age.

In addition, teachers must participate. Beyond teaching, they can be mentors. Their role can have a holistic approach. That is, passionately teaching with the goal of transforming a young life rather than to simply fulfill a “job” duty.

Last, higher education institutions can have a dramatic impact in the lives of young potential graduates. They can make an effort to market their educational portfolio with an “inside out” approach. That is, starting by directly connecting with communities and learning about the issues that affects them personally. Then, become part of the solution. It does not mean a financial commitment. It can mean use of facilities where meetings can take place etc. etc. Further, partner with them and seek meaningful and consistent personal contributions that enable the community to strengthen their present and secure their future. Ultimately, they will look for those who know them best. Universities and colleges can then focus on education instead of investing time in marketing tactics that are short lived.

The options are many. Any actions we choose to respond to the “Vanishing of Graduates” conditions in our state must be assumed by all communities. Rather than waiting for “others” to do and or act on it, each community member must take immediate initiatives to engage with our youth, one on one, with the purpose of creating an inspiring an environment that sparks a vision in their lives and a desire to succeed. The time is now!

[Katherine Bristol]

I totally agree with getting more relevant internships and career related opportunities for high school students. Recently, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation found that almost half of students dropped out because classes "were not interesting (p. 3)." Many of these students has passing grades and would have stayed in school if they "had courses and programs that provided opportunities for real-world learning, such as service-learning, vocational education, and internships." (p.6) The need for meaningful and relevant classes is necessary to keep kids in school. Programs such as STEPUP! in Minneapolis have addressed such issues with urban students, but what about those rural students (especially rural minority students)? Please see my final post about my ideas for the future education of these students, and let me know your thoughts!

[John Tillotson]

When one realizes Minnesota is are about to celebrate the 150th year as a state. I can't help but look out my window in downtown St Paul and wonder how and why all the commerce and innovation occurred here. We are literally in the middle of nowhere with no direct access to a coast. From all of this activity an incredible infrastructure was created - public and private. One of the main responsibilites for the formation of our state was to see our residents recieve an education. I think this was a very wise priority which has helped create all that I see.

I think due to demographics which are very clear we are at a turning point in our state. If we approach the challenges caused by this shift and get the solutions right I believe our state will continue to thrive and be a leading force in the global economy. If we get it wrong the costs to us overtime will likely be staggering. Many people look at Minnesota today and just feel things are too different and we can't find away to meet the challenges caused by these differences. I think the piece of "Vanishing Graduates & Minnesota Future" is a great place for people to start to understand the challenges we face and in conjunction with Learnmoremn.org, provide the platform to discuss and create the solutions to face our demographic issues.

Personally, I do not think what we face today differs that much with the past. We are a nation of many cultures and immigration has been a constant source of change for decades. People have come and will continue to come to Minnesota because of the oppurtunities which our possible. We should view this as a sign of strength and not a problem.

When I meet the kids we serve today many lack the advantages I had towards the expectation of education. They do not lack the desire to work hard and strive for a better life. I do not believe this is any different than the previous waves of immigration but I do believe the stakes are higher do to technology and globalization.

We have become a service based economy and to succeed in this world people need to be proven learners. The shifts caused by technological change have been and will continue to be dramatic. A little over 20 years ago my Boss came into the office with I will call the my first technology upgrade, the correction cartridge for a typewriter - think about it, no word processing, no email, no faxes... I am only 46 years old and I have no idea what is coming in regards to future changes. I am not even sure what a phone is going to look like in the next 10 years. One of the ways I have been able to succeed has been my ability to learn and adapt. With what is coming in our future this ability to learn and adapt will simply become more important and valuable.

According to the last census, it is believed a college educated worker will earn almost $1,000,000 of extra income over their working life versus a worker with only a high school diploma. The economic impact of this fact is incredible. I do not have scientific facts on this but I also believe these college degree holders are more likely to give back to their communities through volunteering, voting, and obeying the law. When you think about this the college diploma is probably worth even more than the census reported.

The number one challenge facing students today is financial. They want to go to post secondary education but fear the stress on their families from the financial burden this may cause. I often tell our donors your contribution may be worth $1,000,000 and will inspire the hope in students to face the challenges of acquiring an education. This hope is inspiring and powerful. We all need someone to believe in our future. I encourage everyone to get involved and work with our young. I think a true reflection of a community is how it treats its children. You can learn more about the Optimist Club's program at www.stpaulfriends.com

John Tillotson
Optimist Club of St Paul

[Debbie Boyles]

See the blog posting about Vanishing Graduates on Learning Curve, a blog by the Pioneer Press Education reporters.