Closing the Rigorous Coursework Gap: Supporting College & Career Readiness for Minnesota’s Students of Color
November 30, 2020
Each young person leaving our K-12 education system should have the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and forge the path to a rewarding career. Unfortunately, in Minnesota, we aren’t living up to this ideal. For too many students—particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds—we are falling short.
This report examines opportunities to advance college and career readiness for Minnesota students, with a specific focus on students of color and Native American students. We do this by looking at key indicators of postsecondary success: who enrolls, advances, and has success in rigorous coursework. We start by looking at early gifted and talented programming and 8th-grade algebra, and going up through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), and concurrent enrollment.
Explore our findings—grounded in insights from dozens of stakeholders at state agencies, nonprofits, service cooperatives, districts, schools, and community organizations, along with research and best practices from around the country. And read our policy recommendations for school leaders and policymakers.