While progress has been made to address the achievement gap there is still much more work needed. This week Generation Next released its annual report highlighting goals, indicators and trends in our community. Key insights from the report point to areas of opportunity and continued growth.

• Less than 30% of the 762 early childhood programs in Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) are rated as high-quality and the biggest gap is in licensed family childcare where only 8% of the 436 programs are rated as high quality.
• While the majority of low-income children receive a screening through their doctor’s office, only 33% of three-year-olds receive the state-mandated Early Childhood Screening.
• Approximately 17,000 students in kindergarten-5th grade are not reading at grade level and the majority are in the lowest achievement level—the “red zone.”
• The percent of students in MSP meeting 8th grade math benchmarks has been steadily decreasing over the last three years—from 44% in 2013 to 39% in 2015.
• Unlike many other outcomes, some student groups of color have higher levels of social-emotional skills than white students.
• The number of students graduating high school in four years has been steadily increasing over the last three years—from 3,900 in 2012 to 4,200 in 2014.
• High school graduation rates are increasing for every student group, except for the rate for American Indian students which has remained relatively flat.
• Research shows the best predictor of a student’s likelihood to graduate from high school in four years is not race or income; it is whether or not they failed courses in 9th grade.
• Dual enrollment course participation has a greater academic benefit for low-income and low-achieving high school students than more socially, economically and educationally advantaged participants.
• Current projections in MN indicate that 74% of all jobs in 2020 will require a post-secondary degree. Currently less than half of students in MN and only 37% of students in MSP have a post-secondary degree after 6 years of enrollment.

To learn more please read the full annual report:

http://www.gennextmsp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Gen-Next-Annual-Report-10-15-2015.pdf