What works well in public schools?

• High graduation rate
• Teachers and all staff
• K-2, 3-5, middle school, high school groupings
• Data-driven assessment
• New teachers, added energy
• Teacher-student ratios are low
• ACT scores are high
• High attendance
• Concerned school board members
• Community support
• Involvement in school functions
• Responsive classroom; climate that students want to be in school
• Implementing policy
• School sizes appropriate for effective schools
• Good kids (students)
• Electronic communication, grades, etc.
• Good involvement in school functions
• Electronic communications enable parents to have easier access to schools

What challenges do public schools face?

• NCLB (“No Child Left a Dime”) – changes focus of education,  law is under-funded, assumption that all students improve at the same rate is idiotic
• Funding
• Diverse populations
• Keep positives intact – class size, etc.
• Lack of counselors
• Curriculum offerings shrinking
• Need more global education
• Media – television, video games, iPods – promote a culture of disrespect
• Race issues
• Needing to do more prevention
• Inter-generational  mental illness
• Ignoring the gifted (passing the test)
• Busing and maintaining facilities
• Keeping up with and integrating technology
• Metro/Greater Minnesota differences in funding, culture, legislative support
• Economic disparity
• Declining enrollment
• Cumulative effect of budget cuts on extracurriculars
• Maintaining/creating parental involvement
• Communications between school and community

What should public schools provide?

• Elevated standards
• Lifelong learners
• Broad-based curriculum that reflects global economy
• Well-rounded citizens
• More counselors
• More collaboration between schools and communities
• Adequate funding
• Vocational education 

What can we all do to ensure schools provide those?

• Regain confidence in schools, pride in education – more positive commercials using media outlets
• Collaborative Capitol projects – Roseau is example
• Follow legislative proposals – city, state, federal; we can influence legislation on education
• Vote
• Develop volunteer network; volunteer to work with kids
• Use existing resources – students mentoring younger students, etc.
• More conversations about our schools in each district, not just through school boards
• Unions can use media better, more consistently
• Get involved in education; get involved in politics
• Get seniors involved

One thing

• Create a sense of urgency
• Takes a village – all participate
• Mandates that are good for kids with educator input
• Funding
• Work to counteract negative assumptions about schools, such as the recent segment on ABC’s “20/20”
• Realize education cannot be measured in numbers
• Elected officials need to stand up for schools. I would like just one politician to say that public schools are mirrors of society.  Until we fix the problems of society, we won’t fix the problems of schools.
• Well-rounded citizens to function in today’s society
• Education that can take advantage of jobs available in the region
• Success of students in life
• We are leaving so many children behind because we are focusing on tests.