St. Paul schools pin hopes on in-person return as student grades show wide disparities
Nearly half of secondary students failed a class while in distance learning.
December 25, 2020 — 1:09pm
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A deeper dive into the demographics of St. Paul Public Schools' failing grades shows wide disparities between white students and students of color.
According to secondary-school data presented to school board members last week, 48% of Asian students and 60% of Black students — the district's two largest constituencies — failed one or more courses in the first quarter, compared with 22% of white students.
To some in attendance, the disparities were not surprising for a district with a persistent achievement gap. School systems across the country, including Minneapolis, are seeing a rise in failing marks during a pandemic that has disrupted in-person instruction and made one-to-one supports difficult to deliver.