When deciding on a high school, parents of college-bound students often select the school they believe will give their child the best chance at success.
The public perception is that Duluth Denfeld is not a school for high-achieving students. One reason for this is that advanced academic opportunities are more limited at Denfeld. Over the past decade, the student population at Denfeld has declined from about 1,300 to about 1,000. The school district currently allots class sections based upon student population. This means Duluth East High School, with a population of about 1,600, can provide multiple sections of a class, making it easier for students to fit classes into their schedules. Denfeld may have only one section of an advanced class, thus making individual student scheduling very difficult.
If your student couldn't get the classes they wanted just because they attended the smaller of the Duluth campuses, would you be happy?
Parents who opt out of Denfeld usually do not enroll their children at East. Instead, they leave the district entirely and choose schools such as Hermantown, Marshall, Edison or Proctor - taking about $6,000 of state aid per student with them.
This is not a Denfeld vs. East issue; it is an Independent School District 709 financial nightmare. And it needs to be reversed.
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If we want students to remain in ISD 709, we must fix the problems causing them to leave. East and Denfeld are filled with amazing students - our students. Both schools should have multiple sections of advanced classes despite school enrollment. Every Duluth high school student should have access to the same academic scheduling opportunities. This problem will only get worse if nothing is done. I believe our School Board will take the necessary action.
Marv Heikkinen
Duluth
