Overall four-year graduation rates rose by more than 1% to 79.9% in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 for the class of 2019, continuing a positive trend over the past five years.
At Burnsville High School specifically, 86.8% of students in the class of 2019 graduated in four years, up by 1.5 points from the year before, and outpacing the state average of 83.7%.
The gains at BHS were driven by significant increases among Hispanic and black students, whose graduate rates rose by 6.8 points and 3.8 points, respectively. Those results led to a nearly 4-point reduction in the gap between graduation rates for white students and students of color, though there still remains a nearly 12 point gap.
“These results are really encouraging and I think reflect our commitment to help students find their passion and prepare for success beyond graduation,” said Imina Oftedahl, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. “We still have work to do, but the innovative programs and opportunities we’re creating are making a difference, and not just at the high school, but from pre-kindergarten on up.”
District work that supports rising graduation rates
- An ongoing focus on multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) ensures students get what they need.
- The Pathways model — which is being expanded to include elementary and middle schools — creates a future-focused mindset, helps students find their passions, engages community partners and provides opportunities to earn college credit and professional certifications.
- The district’s commitment to being a culturally proficient school system (CPSS) means valuing the individuality of each student and all staff being able to build on each student’s strengths.
- AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) college readiness program, which is shown to improve graduation rates, was expanded four years ago to include all District 191 middle and high schools.
- Other long-term, structural improvements - including newly implemented literacy curriculum and instructional model - provide all students with a strong base for academic success.
Burnsville High School Graduation Rates
| Demographic Description | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | State 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 85.5 | 85.33 | 86.84 | 83.7 |
| Asian Students | 86.7 | 88.14 | 88.89 | 87.6 |
| Hispanic Students | 58.5 | 64.29 | 71.05 | 69.9 |
| Black Students | 81.5 | 78.85 | 82.57 | 69.9 |
| White Students | 92.4 | 92.56 | 92.41 | 88.7 |
| Two or More Races Students | 75.00 | 78.57 | 72.3 | |
| English Learner Students | 51.5 | 61.19 | 57.75 | 67.2 |
| Special Education Students | 57.0 | 68.24 | 71.83 | 63.0 |
| Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Priced Meals | 72.4 | 74.37 | 78.80 | 71.0 |
District-wide 4-year graduation rates*
| Demographic Description | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | State 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 79.2 | 78.49 | 79.86 | 83.7 |
| Asian Students | 76.4 | 86.15 | 86.67 | 87.6 |
| Hispanic Students | 59.1 | 56.73 | 58.77 |
69.9 |
| Black Students | 72.7 | 71.53 | 75.00 | 69.9 |
| White Students | 89.4 | 88.01 | 89.11 | 88.7 |
| Two or More Races Students | NA | 60.00 | 64.00 | 72.3 |
| English Learner Students | 49.5 | 57.14 | 54.00 | 67.2 |
| Special Education Students | 56.0 | 64.95 | 67.05 | 63.0 |
| Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Priced Meals | 65.1 | 65.64 | 69.30 | 71.0 |
*Includes Burnsville High School, Burnsville Alternative High School, and the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Transitions (BEST) program.