HHH Policy Fellows, Students Speak Out project

1. Why Are Students Leaving Minneapolis Public Schools?: Students’ Perspectives June 1, 2007 Charissa Bryant Nichelle DeCora Abdulla Hared Traci Parmenter Karen Peterson Diane Tran

4. Overview Public Discussion of Causes But the voices of students have not been heard in the debate about how to stop the decline in enrollment “ I’ve said burn North High School down! I can’t be paying as a taxpayer for the education of my neighbors and 72 percent of them are failing—meaning black boys .”—Don Samuels, Minneapolis City Councilman, Mpls St. Paul Magazine, February 2007 “ I am skeptical because I believe that parents are the ones who make decisions about where kids go to school. Not kids. And if the parents are not involved enough to know what’s best for their kids when they’re entering high school, shouldn’t energies be focused on parent education and engagement rather than on placing such a responsibility on kids.”—Minneapolis Parents Forum, Yahoo! Groups There has been extensive public discussion about the causes of declining MPS enrollment

8. Description of Work Time Line Much of our early work was spent interviewing people on our Power Map and refining our topic; our topic changed over the course of the project Broad topic: any type of education issue facing any Somali immigrants Interviews with people on our rapidly expanding Power Map narrowed focus to education issues facing Somali high-school students Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels ignites debate over MPS enrollment decline Refocused project on MPS enrollment Teamed with Citizens League and carried out most tasks October November December January February March April May

9. Description of Work Initial Power Map ISAIAH Minnesota Council of Churches Gary Miller Somali Family Services of MN Somali Confederation Family and Children’s Service Hennepin County Volunteers of America (Justin Testerman) Kathy Fennelly Cedar Riverside group (Andie Martinez) Power of You (Dean Karen Hynick at MCTC) UBAH charter school (Scott Fleming) Jane Addams School (Derek Johnson St. Paul School Board (Toni Carter) Admission Possible students AFFIRM coalition (Susie Brown) Mosque leaders High Ground Academy Our initial Power Map included a wide range of people in the education and Somali immigrant communities Somali Immigrant Education

10. Description of Work Final Power Map Our final Power Map included many more names than our initial map, and also included connections between people

12. Project Outcomes Survey Data To date 65 high-school-age students have taken our survey; of those, 36 live in Minneapolis; and of those, 20 attend MPS

13. Project Outcomes Survey Data Why did you choose your current school instead of another one?

14. Project Outcomes Survey Data If you could change anything about your school, what would you change? “ The disorganization and lack of communication between the administration and the students.” “ The way the food tastes.” “ Instead of softball I’d have football .” “ More diversity, like more white people.” “ Decrease the drug use .” “ More electives, more interactive learning.” “ The hours, because I want to get out earlier!” “ More advanced courses and more extracurricular activities.” “ Too many rules .” “ More languages , more music .”

15. Project Outcomes Forum Postings “ Enrollment is declining because enough parents, students, and teachers are realizing what “average” schools the Minneapolis Public Schools are becoming. Minneapolis families will not stand for it. We want better education and will leave the local schools to get it. Good education is very important, and Minneapolis is lacking that right now.”—Brett Campbell, 8 th grade, Avalon Charter School “ Enrollment is declining because funding is declining. Simple as that. The district is cutting schools and cutting funds and it makes a lot of students feel that the district no longer believes in them.“—Gayle Smaller, Jr., 12 th grade, Patrick Henry High School “ Students have lost interest in education, students have obligations to uphold or see other things as more important than school, and students are afraid of getting picked on .”—Arda Thao, junior, Roosevelt High School “ The atmosphere at South High was one of apathy and disgust. People dropped out because they were at the point of just hating everything about school from teachers to building to peers to themselves. It didn't feel like I would get anything more out of graduating than dropping out; all that really mattered was the standardized testing anyway.”—Claire Seavey, junior, Perpich Center for Arts Education “ People don't want to stay in school because they don't think they have any reason to .—Wes Granath, 8th grade, Lake Harriet Community School

17. Project Outcomes Site Tour