Graduation numbers around the state rise in 2024, dips slightly in Austin
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
May 7—According to statistics released by the Minnesota Department of Education Wednesday, graduation rates in Minnesota continue to rise across the state.
In 2024, 59,720 students (84.2%) of the overall graduating class graduated, marking the highest graduation rate ever recorded.
Among those numbers American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic or Latino and white student groups all showed increases along with English learners, students from low-income families and students receiving special education services.
"The students of the class of 2024 worked hard and overcame challenges to achieve this milestone," said MDE Commissioner Willie Jett in Wednesday's press release. "I am thrilled to see the success of many of our student groups — especially those most at risk — and a closing of the achievement gap as we work to make sure every student of every background, zip code and ability has access to a world-class education. I am also grateful for the educators, families and communities who stood behind these graduates and supported their needs and encouraged their successes. Their achievement is evidence that investing in kids pays off."
In Austin, AHS graduated 255 in 2024 for 77.7%, coming in beneath the state average as well as begging down a point from last year when more kids graduated at 264 for 78.1%.
Around the area, 2024 graduate numbers include:
Lyle — 2024: 10 (83%), 2023: 17 (85%)
Grand Meadow — 2024: 24 (92.3%), 2023: 36 (97.3%)
Southland — 2024: 38 (92.7%), 2023: 32 (94.1%)
LeRoy-Ostrander — 2024: 14 (87.5%), 2023: 18 (94.7%)
Hayfield — 2024: 46 (88.5%), 2023: 52 (91.2%)
Blooming Prairie — 2024: 66 (97%), 2023: 53 (100%).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Vine City residents protest planned Georgia Power substation in Westside neighborhood
Community members met with Georgia Power about plans to build a substation in their Vine City neighborhood. This week, protestors rallied outside the proposed substation site at Foundry and Magnolia streets in Northwest Atlanta. 'When they say get back, we say fight back!' the protestors chanted. 'Shame, shame, shame!' 'Money over people should never be what you want. Profit over people,' said one protester. There is another substation, a school, homes, and businesses. Georgia Powers said the substation would boost power to the entire power grid and provide reliability and efficiency for the area's growing energy demands, like the new Centennial Yards project in downtown. TRENDING STORIES: On-ramp to I-85 from the Buford Spring connector shut down for bridge cracks Threat of strong, severe storms Friday night through Saturday morning Body of missing 17-year-old boater found in Lake Allatoona But protestors said that because the substation will be built in a predominantly Black neighborhood, they believe the project is a form of environmental injustice. 'We, being a disadvantaged, underprivileged neighborhood, they feel they can come in and set up a power station and there wouldn't be any outcry from the community, but that's not the case,' resident Steven Muhammad told Channel 2's Audrey Washington. 'What do you say to folks who say this is a form of environmental injustice?' Washington asked Georgia Power Regional Director Misty Fernandez. 'We would never compromise public health or safety, and we are confident these facilities do not create a health risk for the community,' Fernandez said. Georgia Power expects to break ground on the project this month. Washington asked with all the opposition why the utility company needs to build in Vine City. 'The investment that Georgia Power is making in this substation and transmission line in this neighborhood will benefit all of the downtown area and the westside of Atlanta,' Regional Director of Georgia Power Misty Fernandez said.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Incredible drone photo shows 'prolific' problem costing Australia $100m annually
An Australian pest controller has highlighted a destructive issue impacting rural Australia, causing a $100 million burden on the agricultural industry every year. Incredible drone images of an oat paddock on the mid North Coast of New South Wales highlight just how effectively and systematically feral pigs can dig up crops in search of their next meal. Licensed shooter Nathan told Yahoo News that pigs are "prolific" in the area. It took him just four hours to take down 75 of the invasive beasts earlier this week. "It looks like a WW2 field in Normandy after a mortar barrage," he said of the destruction caused by the pests. To Nathan, it highlights exactly what a population of feral pigs can do in a "very short space of time" on soft, wet ground. In NSW, it's estimated that pigs occupy up to 60 per cent of the state. They spread weeds, disease, and outcompete native species. While it's widely accepted that feral pigs will never be completely eradicated in mainland Australia, the shocking images have prompted calls for a "realistic" approach to tackling the issue. Dr Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council told Yahoo News pigs are "well known" for causing such damage, adding that it's a "real problem". The omnivorous animals will "eat all sorts", even digging up native turtles and their eggs. "They're after roots and grubs and insects and seeds and worms, so there's a lot of food for them in the soil," she explained. "It's not just in paddocks but in natural habitats, and you often come across diggings and instantly recognise them as pigs." The economic burden of such destruction falls heavily on crop growers and pastoralists. "If they get a big mob of pigs, they'll lose some of their crop or pasture," Booth said. President of the Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association (APDHA), Ned Makim previously told Yahoo the onus has fallen on landowners to eliminate the species — who he likened to rodents. Some land owners are calling in vertebrate pest controllers like Nathan while others are offering free accommodation to shooters whose sole responsibility is to keep their populations down. 🐗 Bold new national park plan to hunt invasive species 📸 Incredible photos show major triumph in $100m invasive outback battle 🔥 Unexpected way pristine Aussie island wiped out invasive threat Dr Booth said that authorities need to be "totally realistic" about what it will take to solve the huge problem of feral pigs. "They are highly adaptable and they are very widespread," she said, adding that it's "not feasible" to control their populations across the entirety of our vast country. Many have called for bounties for feral pigs, foxes and cats, with one politician telling Yahoo we're "losing the battle" against the species. But Dr Booth doesn't think it's the right solution, arguing ground shooting alone is "fairly limited" across large areas. 'If you're trying to control pigs at a landscape level, hunters are not the solution because they are not effective enough," she explained. She argues a combination of aerial shooting, ground shooting, baiting and trapping is required to manage feral pig numbers, all while focusing on key at-risk areas. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
"Glimmers" Are the Basically Free Gems That Make Any Home a Sanctuary
This article may contain affiliate links that Yahoo and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links. Even though I'm in my 40s, I never take having a safe and comfortable home for granted. As a teen, I ran away from my abusive mother's excessively cluttered house, experienced homelessness, and moved into queer punk houses — all to find freedom. And now as a queer, nonbinary adult in the United States, where gender nonconforming and trans people are under attack on every level, I worry about my future. But I know that I can't live a life defined by fear and unhappiness. One of the small ways I cope with uncertain times is by doing everything in my power to make my home a safe and welcoming space that is full of 'glimmers,' or small things that spark joy even on my hardest days. Most people are familiar with the concept of a 'trigger,' which is some kind of stimulus, like a sight or sound, that brings up the memory of an upsetting or traumatic experience. Triggers don't have to be 'rational' to affect you. These emotional landmines are a part of life for many people with a history of trauma. 'Glimmers' are sort of the opposite of triggers. Now widely understood in the mental health world, glimmers are small moments of pleasure that exist in everyday life. They cue to your brain and nervous system that you are safe. 'Glimmers aren't just about aesthetics or mood lighting — they're somatic reminders that safety is possible,' explains Chicago-based therapist Bonn Wade. Glimmers offer moments that help you feel better, regulate your emotions, and affirm who and what you are. In my life, glimmers are reminders that I am safe and that I worked hard to have the home and the life I have. They can be anything from a morning coffee ritual to, in my case, intentional, affirming decor around my home that reminds me that I am in a safe space that I built for myself. Glimmers are vital for the LGBTQ+ community because of the complicated relationship many have had with the homes they came from. 'Home hasn't always been safe for queer and trans people,' Wade says. 'For a lot of us, it's where we first learned to mask or shrink or make ourselves more acceptable or even palatable. So, it's a big deal — a quietly radical thing — to create a space that reflects who we really are. When we build in glimmers, we're not just rearranging furniture, hanging art, or placing a plant near a sun-lit window — we're actually sending a message to our bodies: You belong here. You don't have to hide anymore.' Glimmers are a key way to spark joy and hope around your home — something people in marginalized communities need especially right now. Ofelia Saba Ramírez, an associate marriage and family therapist who specializes in working with queer and trans people who have experienced trauma, explains that for 'queer and trans people, especially those navigating trauma and our hostile political climate, glimmers in the home aren't just pleasant to have — they're tools for survival.' They can help to remind your nervous system that you're safe, loved, and that you do belong — even when the world says otherwise. Glimmers generally aren't anything big or elaborate. My favorite ones seldom are. Glimmers might be stickers sent by a pen pal, stuffed animals instead of throw pillows, toys from a quarter machine arranged in a bowl, or smashed pennies from the zoo. On the windowsill in my kitchen, I have my own glimmers. Nestled among succulents, Kewpie dolls, and stained-glass ornaments my neighbor made, there is an empty PBR can with a pride flag sticking out of it. An odd glimmer for someone (me) who doesn't drink, but it makes me smile every time I stand at my sink to do dishes. The can is a souvenir from a long-distance partner's visit where we spent an afternoon grid-walking a now-gentrified neighborhood to find the punk houses of our youth where I found safety, community, and acceptance for the first time in my life. After finding the house, now as gentrified as the neighborhood, they bought PBR at the corner store where the hippies used to scoff at us punk kids. They gave the majority of the six-pack away, but I kept this one tin can, which is a vase in my kitchen; it's a glimmering reminder of where I come from, and the life I have made within — and because of — queer community. I got divorced last year, and one of the first things I did when my ex-partner left was start to redecorate my home with new wall art. This art is mostly 'worthless,' appraisal-wise, but to me it's invaluable. Everything I own reminds me that queer bodies, and specifically trans bodies, are magical and have always existed — no matter what the current government says. My living room is lined with bookshelves filled with all my favorite queer books that helped me form my sense of self and identity. The books signed by authors, many of whom are now friends and colleagues, are some of my most prized possessions. Even as queer book bans take hold at a terrifying pace across the country, these books remind me that our stories cannot and will not ever be silenced. 'Glimmers do more than offer small moments that keep us as queer and trans people afloat — they root us in the lives we're actually building, not just the ones we've survived,' Wade says. In the last few months, the glimmers I have in my home have grown to include a handful of items that I was able to rescue from my mother's house after her death. Despite our over 20-year estrangement, when she died I was court-appointed to clean out her home and in January I went back into my childhood home for the first time since I ran away as a teenager. It was a difficult ordeal, and surprisingly I found my childhood bedroom closet untouched. I had to clean and sanitize what I found, but brought home some glimmers from an otherwise turbulent childhood: some 1980s My Little Pony toys, Pound Puppies, and other small figurines, along with the molded dog-shaped switch plate from my childhood bedroom where I spent years praying to not really be gay. They walk the razor-sharp line between trigger and items, more than anything, are a tangible reminder of what I escaped, and how hard I have worked to have the life I have now. In the home I have built today, these 'glimmers' are bittersweet — and a reminder that even when things are hard, there's a whole world on the other side of the hard times. I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here's What They Said Sign up for Apartment Therapy's Daily email newsletter to receive our favorite posts, tours, products, and shopping guides in your inbox.
