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Mirroring national trends, Minnesota has some concerning educational metrics in an annual child well-being report. However, there are some positive changes, too.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s latest Kids Count report ranks Minnesota fifth overall in measuring how kids are faring today. Underneath that strong score is a slip in education rankings, with the state falling to 19th in the country. Sixty-eight percent of Minnesota fourth graders were not proficient in reading.
Similar results were seen at the national level – and the Casey Foundation’s Vice President of External Affairs Leslie Boissiere added that two in three students attended U.S. schools plagued by chronic absenteeism, which hinders academic success.
“Their test scores tend to be lower, they tend to be more likely to be suspended and less likely to complete school on time,” said Boissiere. “It also affects the overall atmosphere of the classroom as the teacher is always working to catch students up.”
Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota says a key action would be bolstering support for tutoring and other out-of-school learning programs.
Minnesota did see improvement in the number of young children not in school. The report also showed a decline in the percentage of kids living in high-poverty areas.
According to the report, 22% of Minnesota children lived in a household with a high housing cost burden.
As families navigate these barriers, Boissiere said it’s important that parents are engaged as schools and communities consider ways to better meet children’s needs.
“It is an all-hands-on-deck moment,” said Boissiere. “Both the resources within school, the resources within communities, and engaging parents as part of the process to make sure that students have the support that they need and that children have the support that they need in order to succeed.”
As for education, the Casey Foundation says the pandemic isn’t the sole cause of lower test scores – noting that educators, researchers, policymakers and employers have been ringing alarm bells for a long time.
The Children’s Defense Fund says that while more work is needed to turn things around in Minnesota, investments from last year’s legislative session are key steps in adding stability.
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