Minnesota’s Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force is seeking public testimony at its 1/10 meeting. They have set aside time at this all-day session to hear from the public, giving each person 2-3 minutes. Please consider requesting a slot to share your thoughts with the task force, even if you don’t get called to testify, your 300-450 word written testimony will be shared with the task force.

So far the task force has heard from administrators from various school districts around the state, including our own Jerry Robicheau and Christina Gillette, and from lawyers and social scientists arguing the effectiveness of integration efforts. Recent stories in the Star Tribune (which includes a picture from Crosswinds!) and MnPost provide some insight into this testimony and the dynamics of the task force. Most remarkable, given the task force’s name, is that they have not yet ruled out a continuation of integration funding of some sort.

The task force asks these questions of the public, and your testimony can help answer them:

• What meaningful links are there, if any, between racially integrated schools and students’ educational outcomes?
• What educational opportunities are at risk, if any, for all students (not just poor and minority) if we make changes to integration revenue in Minnesota?
• Historically, considering how districts responded to Minnesota’s school desegregation rule, what worked and what didn’t work (educational structures, strategies, and programs)? Why?
• What are the current measures of success in a given district? Are they data-driven? What should the measures of success be?
• How should Minnesota allocate the dollars that, in the current biennium, are going to integration revenue?

The task force needs to hear from you by the end of next week, 12/30, if you wish to testify. Please review their Request to Speak form (PDF). Other documents from the task force can be found on the Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force website.