| Students are Fleeing Minneapolis Schools | | | | general tend to be dissatisfied with the quality of |
| Minneapolis schools are being faced with the | | | | education in Minneapolis public schools. Not that |
| prospect of empty school buildings as more and | | | | they have any reason to feel differently. In 2005, |
| more students flee the system to charter schools | | | | barely 29 % of black students in the eighth |
| in the district. Minneapolis schools' enrollment | | | | grades in Minneapolis schools managed to pass |
| figures have plummeted to just 36,000 this year - | | | | basic math tests and just 47% could manage to |
| that's almost half its capacity of 50,000 students. | | | | scrape through the reading tests. Graduation rates |
| Schools in the north side have felt the pinch the | | | | for black students at Minneapolis schools were |
| hardest with a 44 percent drop in enrollment over | | | | some of the lowest at fifty percent. Besides |
| the past five years. All indications are that there is | | | | blacks, Asian students are joining the growing |
| no stemming this tide and Minneapolis schools | | | | movement out of Minneapolis schools. Moves to |
| have already announced plans to close 5 schools | | | | Stem the Tide at Minneapolis Schools The success |
| leaving more than 2000 students in the lurch, | | | | of charter schools can be traced to a number of |
| desperately scrambling to find new schools. The | | | | factors. School sizes are smaller, and it is generally |
| Exodus of Blacks and Minorities from Minneapolis | | | | believed that teaching staff are more in tune with |
| Schools A bulk of the students that chose to | | | | students' requirements and are better able to |
| leave Minneapolis public schools belongs to high | | | | meet these needs. Minneapolis schools have begun |
| poverty black neighborhoods and other minority | | | | to realize that immediate steps have to be taken |
| communities. The statistics reveal a strong yet | | | | to avoid the current migration of students. School |
| disturbing trend. In the '99-'00 academic year, | | | | authorities have proposed initiatives that require |
| more than 48,000 black students sought | | | | schools in the district to offer additional emphasis |
| admission in Minneapolis schools. Compare this to | | | | on music, arts, and language besides improving |
| the bleak picture painted for 2008 when | | | | their core academic curricula. It's hoped that |
| enrollment from black students is expected to | | | | raising the bar on academic learning will stem the |
| touch barely 33,500. Most black students prefer | | | | growing tide. Even if the schools do not succeed |
| to enroll at charter schools in the district which | | | | in attracting students back to their fold, one |
| have perceived higher standards than public | | | | hopes that at the very least they will be able to |
| Minneapolis schools. This problem of "black flight" | | | | stop students leaving in masses. |
| is, authorities agree, a serious problem for | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| Minneapolis schools. Surveys in the African | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public |
| American community show that black parents in | | | | and private K-12 schools. |