Minnesota Education Equity Partnership

Research collaborative table (rct) mneep maintained a research collaborative group that is multi-racial in composition and draws researchers, assessment experts from both community-based organization and diverse education institutions spanning k -12 to postsecondary education.

Improve higher education equity in arming systems with new race equity insights, mneep contributed to new empirical-based knowledge of poci community realities. In 2023-2024 this goal:a. Convened the college race equity advocacy advisory council (creaac) to direct and guide policy advocacy through state legislative actionb. Develop a public awareness and community engagement on racial equity in higher education.c. Held a series of on campus seminars and listening sessions for students, administrator, educators and community activists at the university of mn, twin cities, at bethel college and at the minnstate systems main office.

Support emerging multi-lingual learners (eml): in shifting systems culture, mneep organized efforts to make poci and emerging multi-lingual (eml) students more visible and valued for the assets they possess as multi-lingual learners. In 2023-2024 this goal supported a variety of activities, including:a. Convened quarterly, eml network organizing meeting for direction and action on program implementation.b. Updated and maintained an eml on-line toolkit to provide resources for eml and el educators, leaders, families, and advocates.c. Supported the eml network in policy advocacy for state legislative action and for local schools to increase the capacity of schools to deliver stronger el services to students. This produced a state legislative task force to review the effectiveness of el funding and practices. It also advanced exploration of teacher licensing micro-credentials by the state legislature.d. Networked with national groups for ongoing policy development.

Fostering positive school climates to end discipline disparities in minnesota schools that support all students for success (sns): ending racial disparities in school discipline practices in shifting systems culture, mneep continued to train and equip school and community leaders for deeper knowledge of creating mutually respectful, positive school environments with policies and practices informed by critical race theory. Mneep seeks to both build up the capacity of practitioners pursuing alternatives to punitive school discipline practices and the capacity of parents, students and teachers to advocate for alternatives. In 2023-2024 this goal was supported through different activities, including:a. Maintained an online toolkit for school districts, parents, student and community advocates on advocacy for, and information on, restorative alternatives to student seclusion policies. B. Supported the formation of a state task force to create a statewide model policy for all law enforcement governmental entities engaged in providing school resource officers to local school districts.

Create and retain a racially diverse teacher workforce (toc): in shifting systems culture, mneep provided new tools and processes for cross-sector stakeholders to racially diversify and retain the state's teacher workforce. In 2023-2024, this goal:a. Worked with the mn state teacher licensing board (pelsb) to promote new teacher professional licensing standards as part of their "effective practices" in order to advance cultural and racial competency skills.b. Provided fiscal agent support for the mn teachers of color/american indian teachers coalition (mn tocait) to advance successful state legislative policies and appropriations.