Aug 23, 2026

Article #1 >>>>> >Journal of the K-12 Revolution: Essays and Research from Minneapolis, Minnesota<, Volume XIII, Number 1, July 2026

An Academically Disastrous District

 

 

The only reason for a public school district to exist is to provide a knowledge intensive, skill-replete education to students of all demographic descriptors.  The provision of meals, after-school programs, and extracurricular opportunities are expected but are ancillary rather than prime responsibilities.

 

Students who graduate from the Minneapolis Public Schools walk across the stage to collect a piece of paper that is a diploma in name only.  They go forth into the world deficient in the knowledge that they should have to thrive as culturally enriched, civically prepared, and professionally satisfied citizens:  They lack sufficient knowledge of mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history, geography, government, economics, quality English and World literature, the visual and musical arts, and vocational skills.

 

Thus, even aside from fundamental skills in reading and mathematics, the education that students in the Minneapolis Public Schools receive is abominable.

 

As to those fundamental skills, note that reading and mathematic skills languish for students in general and that for African American, Native American, and Hispanic students, proficiency rates to not reach 20% in any category  >>>>>

 

>>>>> 

 

Minneapolis Public Schools 

Academic Proficiency Rates

Years Ending in 2014 through 2025

as measured by Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments

 

            

All

Students

 

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math    

 

44%  44%  44%  42%   42%  42%  35%   33%  35%  35%  35%

 

Reading 

 

42%  42%  43%  43%  45%  47% 40%  42% 41%  40%   41%

 

Science  

 

33%  36%  35%  34%  34%  36% 36%  33%  31% 32%   22%

 

African                      

American

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math         

 

22%   23%   21%  15%  18%   18%   9%   10% 8%   8%  10%

 

Reading    

 

22%   21%   21%  21%  22%   23%  19%  18% 16% 15%  16%

 

Science      

 

11%   15%   13%  12%  11%   11%   11%   8%  6%   6%     3%

 

 

American

Indian

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math            

 

23%  19%  19%   17%  17%  18%   9%    9%  10%     12%   13%

 

Reading      

 

21%  20%  21%   23%  24%  25% 20%  22%  19%    18%    19%

 

Science        

 

14%  16%  13%  12%  14%  17%     9%   9%    7%  12%        6%

 

 

Hispanic/

Latine

 

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math           

 

31%  32%  31%   29%  26%  25%  12%  12%  12%  11%   11%

 

Reading       

 

22%  21%  21%   21%  22%  23%  19%  18%  16%  12%   13%

 

Science        

 

17%  18%  21%   19%  17%  16%  10%  11%   9%   8%      5%       

 

Asian

American

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math           

 

48%  50%  50%  49%   50%   47%  46%  39%  25%  26%  28%

 

Reading       

 

41%  40%  45%  41%  48%   50%   54%  49% 33%  31%   27% 

 

Science         3

 

1%  35%  42%  35%   37%  40%   43%  36% 27%  28%    19%

 

White

 

 

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

 

Math           

 

77%   78%  78%  77%   77%  75%    62%  61% 65% 68%  68%

 

Reading       

 

78%   77%  77%  78%   80%  78%    74%  71% 72% 73%  75%

 

Science        

 

71%  75%  71%  70%   71%  70%    61%  60% 59% 61%  45%

 

<<<<< 

 

 

The goal for decision-makers at the Minneapolis Public Schools must be to secure university-based subject area specialists (decidedly not education professors) to retrain teachers capable of delivering a knowledge-intensive, skill-replete curriculum.  Once such an action is taken, other support policies may be instituted to ensure that these sufficiently trained teachers fulfill their responsibility to impart excellent education to students of all demographic descriptors. 

 

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