About 30 people attended the final listening session March 6 at Minnesota West Community College in Worthington. These are some of their comments:

What’s working well?

• High licensure standards, quality teachers.
• ACT scores rising – we’re doing something right.
• More freedom of choice in courses for high school students.
• Our communities care about education and want to keep their schools.
• Bilingual education.
• Small class sizes.
• High expectations of students.
• Programs of diversity.
• Opportunities for students to discover their interests.
• Communication with parents.
• Safe learning environment.
• Early identification for special education students to better meet their needs – tackle problems before they get to school.
• Hiring young teachers.
• Parents are sending us their best.
• Strong special education program.
• Technology for communication – e-mail with parents, although person-to-person works best and is working well.
• Early education is doing more than ever before.
• Strong, affordable preschools.
• Higher education – we take students of all ages and provide opportunities, training for adults to change jobs, keep current in
• their field.
• Small classes let us work individually with students.

What are some of the challenges schools face?

• Many adults without kids are not interested in public schools.
• Money/$$/funding.
• Top-down funding models that politically influence curriculum – not always in best interest of students and faculty.
• Ever-changing standards and mandates from Minnesota Department of Education; students can’t get through 12 years with the same program.
• Federal and state interference with curriculum.
• Decision-making is out of local hands.
• Behavior problems – expelled students are neglected.
• Lack of parental involvement.
• Parental education and communication with diverse groups.
• No funding for all-day/every day kindergarten.
• Teacher stress – workload.
• Community apathy.
• Bus safety and scheduling (local issue).
• Funding for gifted and talented programs.
• Open enrollment, charter schools, home schools.
• Not reaching gifted children.
• Uncoordinated school calendars among buildings in Worthington.
• Hectic lives for both parents and students.
• Testing – too much; four weeks in spring, MCAs in grades 3-12 every year.
• Budget cuts (Jackson has no excess levy – huge cuts needed).
• Why excess levies don’t pass; how to get the need across; how to get childless voters to vote yes.
• Higher education – students don’t get enough math by the time they get to college.
• Media coverage is limited unless news is negative.
• Rumors vs. facts.
• How to find a communications vehicle that will reach the majority of residents.
• Too much effort/attention to lower ability students.
• Some teachers better at “hands on” instruction than others.
• Staff development.
• Proposal to add five more weeks of school – this raises funding issues.
• No Child Left Behind law needs a parent component (i.e., what parents are supposed to do).
• Block scheduling – how to meet students’ needs, e.g. math courses.
• Educating immigrant parents how our system works - not all have had education in their home country.

What do we want schools to provide?

• All-day/every day kindergarten funding – don’t cut these programs.
• More basics taught in elementary – expand to electives in high school.
• More offerings for high school kids.
• Safe environment.
• Opportunities for kids.
• Kids should be exposed to all kinds of diversity.
• Stick to one curriculum for a while; don’t keep changing (e.g. math).
• Recognize different learning styles.
• Recognize not all kids are college bound.
• More learning by doing – this requires time and space.
• Small class sizes.
• Teacher-driven, research-based curriculum (not politically driven).
• More time for teachers to do their job and time for staff development.

How can we make it happen?

• Positive promotion of schools.
• Educate community about the role of education in community, nation, world.
• Turn our teaching outward to the community.
• We have the expertise – let us do our jobs.
• Find ways to talk to those without kids in schools, senior citizens, etc.
• No more unfunded mandates.
• Help heal hard feelings among voters.
• Get involved in the community – build trust.
• Disconnect education from politics.