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ESSA requires state education agencies (SEAs) and some
individual school districts to consult with tribes on various education plans
affecting American Indian students. Tribal
consultation is an important part of making sure that input and advice from
Minnesota tribes around the needs of American Indian students is thoroughly
included in our state plan.
Commissioner Cassellius has met
with leaders of 9 out of the 11 tribal nations to discuss the ESSA State Plan.
She will meet with the remaining two in the coming weeks. The discussions centered around how school districts and tribes can work together on district policies. So
far, here are some themes that have arisen:
- Consultation with districts needs to be ongoing
and meaningful - not just someone talking to Tribal members. The district and tribe need to come to the table to work out problems together. They need to
mutually arrive at a solution. Identify priorities together work together from
the very beginning. Tribes need to be consulted in the creation of policies,
not at the end.
- Native language and culture should be blended natural, it should not be a separate day or class.
- Need for more teachers of color and American
Indian teachers.
- Many tribal leaders would like consultation to
lead to districts and schools being more inviting and relevant for American
Indian students, and lead to curricular choices that better represent American
Indians, including their specific history and culture in the area.
Once consultation is
complete, a report will be published to summarize the meetings.
Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans
MDE staff attended the Council on Asian Pacific
Minnesotans board of directors meeting on March 16. Staff presented a brief
primer on ESSA for those members unfamiliar with the law, and provided a status
update on the ESSA state plan. MDE shared information on the process and that
the state plan would be submitted in September.
Board members were curious about how Minnesota charter schools
would be affected by ESSA and shared concern about Minnesota’s charter school
authorizers. MDE informed members that ESSA will not impact authorizers,
although other provisions apply to Minnesota’s charter schools as public
schools.
Board members also expressed deep concerns for the students
in English Learner services in Minnesota. Members strongly advised MDE to use
ESSA to support students in EL services, including those with limited formal
education.
Promoting Effective Instruction for Children Learning English Summit
MDE staff attended a one day summit in Minneapolis bringing
together English Learner and early learning advocates. Staff from MDE’s Federal Programs division participated
on a panel discussing the local and state perspective on English Learner
services.
Keynote presenters and experts were clear about the vital
role that early learning plays in the success of students in English Learner
services. Early learning advocates described that educators and others in the
early learning system can play a role in preserving home language and culture,
which can be lost later in a student’s academic career.
Early learning staff from Robbinsdale Area Schools shared
how their success with family engagement helped educate and encourage parents
to effectively participate with their school. Early learning staff helped
establish foundational relationships that are key to meaningful engagement.
Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood Parents Council
MDE staff were invited to a Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood
parents meeting, and had a chance to hear ESSA feedback from community members. A small group of community elders, parents, current and former students
participated.
Participants shared that effective educators and schools
should be grounded in the community, and that educators who lived and were from
their community had a better chance of success. Community members described
that the current system does not do family engagement well.
Community members reported that effective educators: 1) really
care; and 2) support student success by recognizing self-esteem matters. Participants
stated that bored students become disengaged, and this can lead to acting out.
Participants described that students pass early grades
without basic proficiency, at times reaching third grade unable to read. Community
members asked that schools and educators set appropriate expectations of kids
to set them up for success. They stated that students need to be taught skills
that will help them later on in life, such as creativity, up-to-date
technology, and family and consumer science.
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