STATISTICS CERTAINLY DON’T tell the whole story when you’re reading a compilation of numbers. But neither do they lie.
That said, I’d like to direct you to a report by ProPublica, “an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.”
The topic of ProPublica’s investigation (click here to read), advanced placement class offerings in public schools, certainly interests me. I’ve often wondered why Faribault Senior High School, the school my children attended (and one still does) offers so few advanced placement classes. These college-level classes give students an opportunity to test for college credit upon course completion. That, in my parental opinion, equals academic challenges for students and money saved for those who pass the AP exams and continue on to college.
Faribault High offers four AP classes in physics, English literature and composition, calculus and psychology.
Now, compare that to neighboring Northfield and Owatonna, each about a 15-mile drive away. Northfield Senior High School students can choose from 14 AP classes. In Owatonna, the number is even higher at 20 courses.
The three high schools are similar in size: Faribault, 1,230 students; Owatonna, 1,595; and Northfield, 1,300. They are also located in similar-sized communities. However, anyone who lives in the area knows that Faribault is clearly a blue collar town and Northfield is white collar. I’m not sure about Owatonna, but I would peg it as more blue than white collar.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
A link may exist between educational opportunities at a school and local poverty levels, some conclude. I don’t necessarily buy into the whole “we have X number of students getting free and reduced government lunches therefore we are offering fewer AP classes because students won’t take the courses anyway” philosophy. That’s an all-too-easy excuse to explain away the lack of AP classes and/or low student enrollment or interest in those classes.
Rather, I think the number of AP classes has more to do with funding, priorities and how much a school pushes, or doesn’t push, these advanced courses.
So let’s take a look at some of those statistics. ProPublica lets you type in your school and even compare it with neighboring districts. (Note: The database only includes public schools with a student population of more than 3,000 in the 2009 – 2010 school year.)
At Faribault High, 28 percent of students get free/reduced price lunches, compared to only 13 percent in Northfield. In Owatonna, 21 percent of students get those lunches that are targeted for low income households.
The statistics show high school minority populations of 21 percent in Faribault, 15 percent in Owatonna and only 11 percent in Northfield.
So you get the picture: Mostly wealthier white kids attend high school in Northfield. Not so much in Faribault and Owatonna.
Therefore you would conclude, if you adhere to the whole poverty-educational opportunities theory, that Northfield should outshine Faribault and Owatonna in the area of Advanced Placement classes and enrollment.
You would be wrong.
Owatonna shines with 20 AP classes and 29 percent of their students taking at least one AP course.
Northfield isn’t far behind with 26 percent of students taking at least one of the school’s 14 AP classes.
Faribault doesn’t even come close with just five percent of students enrolled in at least one of the only four Advanced Placement courses offered.
WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
I’ve discussed AP and Post Secondary Enrollment Option classes with several FHS teachers at various times and received answers ranging from an administration that doesn’t make AP or PSEO a priority to staff that prefer not to have class content dictated by AP guidelines. Whether those conclusions are accurate, I don’t know.
But as a parent, I am frustrated. Why shouldn’t any child attending Faribault High have the same educational opportunities afforded students in nearby Owatonna or Northfield?
Faribault also falls below the state-wide average of nine AP classes per high school and 23 percent of Minnesota high school students taking an AP course.
I repeat: Only five percent of FHS students take at least one AP class, of which only four are offered in Faribault.
What’s going on here?
NOTE: Statistics listed on ProPublica come from a nation-wide survey by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
THANKS TO Minnesota Public Radio’s Bob Collins for directing readers to ProPublica’s report in his Friday, July 1, News Cut column.
This post was written by Audrey Kletscher Helbling and originally published on Minnesota Prairie Roots.
You need to take a look at the school board and budget. More or less, I note that there is a nice inverse correlation between the % of inexperienced teachers (18% at Faribault, 1% in Owatonna, 10% at Northfield) and the number of AP courses.
What does this mean? I’m not sure, but a high % of inexperienced teachers could mean that the school district is mismanaged (older teachers leave and say “the heck with this”) or excessively frugal (pushing out older teachers in favor of ones lower on the pay scale). Either one is going to push out the possibilities of AP classes. You need experienced teachers for these, as well as a culture which rewards and supports high achievers.
Again, look at the school board and see what’s going on. Here in Waseca, we’ve got a school board that likes to cut teachers, schools, the swimming pool…..but hasn’t apparently gotten around to dealing with a bloated administration yet. And the board wonders why the residents won’t increase funding.
Well, duh.
Yes, I did notice the higher number of inexperienced teachers in Faribault, 18 percent, compared to 10 percent in Northfield and only one percent in Owatonna. I wondered if that might also relate to the number of AP classes offered. I should have referenced those stats in my piece. But I didn’t want to confuse readers with too many numbers.
You raise some interesting points. Thank you for throwing your ideas out there for us to consider.
AP course work is not the only path to college credits in high school. I have not looked at the Faribault H.S. curriculum, but many schools have College in the Schools courses from the Univ. of Minn. where college credits can be earned.
Many students in every school opt for a full load or at least a partial schedule of PSEO courses at a neighboring state or even private college campus.
AP courses are AP courses. I’m not so sure one needs to read more into this than necessary.
Certainly, AP classes are not the only way to earn college credit while in high school. I simply wonder why such a discrepancy exists in the number of such course offerings among schools.
Faribault does offer college credit for four years of German through the College in the Schools program via the U, for example.
Students can enroll in PSEO classes at the next-door technical college. However, I have found through my experience, that FHS does not really promote PSEO. Other parents have said likewise.
I appreciate any opportunities offered to students that challenge them and give them the opportunity to earn college credits while in high school.