YOUR TURN | Demagnetizing Minneapolis schools?

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Minneapolis Public Schools administration has proposed major shifts in the way that schools are organized, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. Along with a push to cut transportation and busing, Minneapolis Public Schools would like to reduce the number of magnet schools. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!Should Minneapolis have fewer magnet schools? Why? • The Story• The case for reducing the number of magnet schools• The case for retaining Minneapolis magnets

Changing School Options
Minneapolis Public Schools is facing both budgetary and educational challenges. Continue Reading

YOUR TURN | Should Minneapolis stop busing students all over the city?

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Minneapolis Public Schools has proposed major shifts in the way that elementary schools are organized, beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. Under the new proposal the city would be divided into three major areas: North/Northeast, South/Southeast and Southwest, less busing would be provided, and most students would go to their designated community school. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!Is moving to community schools a good or bad option? Why? • The Story• What’s at stake• The case for community schools and less busing• The case for citywide choice and citywide busing

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Continue Reading

Schools with “kick”

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To succeed, our community schools must not be bland models of industrial-era education. They must have educational “kick,” offering strong student and family services and differentiated learning in each and every one of them! I believe that a combination of strong community schools that attract back local families, combined with strategic, centrally-located magnets and perhaps one strong magnet at the far periphery of each attendance area, would be a good formula for long-term educational excellence, sustainability and cost reduction. What I cannot support, ever, is forced assimilation, i.e., forcing people to attend schools in their own neighborhoods without offering a small amount of sensible, competitive options that can allow our district to compete in a broader city, state and country arena of expanding educational choice. The sad truth of the matter is that our own schools are in competition with each other for resources. Continue Reading

VOICES | Our public schools are still a good investment

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The “Strong Schools, Strong City” levy referendum on which we will vote in November is a call for a breakthrough in Minneapolis education. Imagine this: we invest in our community schools and the growing needs of our urban students, and Minneapolis holds its own as one of the most highly educated populations in our country. We have high numbers of high school and college graduates. According to the Brookings Institution’s 2005 “Mind the Gap” report, the latter has held true. In 2000, the Twin Cities ranked high for median income (14th) among the 100 largest metro areas. Continue Reading