First and most important: this is not the official website of the Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force. The official website is at the Minnesota Department of Education and you should go there for the official story. This page is being maintained by one EMID parent. I am trying to attend each task force meeting and share notes with other EMID parents. Here are a few recent updates:

• Integration gets a new bill at the MN House
• Crosswinds Intersession at the Capitol
• Joint Committee Hearing on Integration
• MPR: An Imperfect Revolution, Voices from the Desegregation Era
• Garofalo schedules Integration Task Force Hearing, 4/4 (Nevermind)

More updates can be found below.

The task force was convened “to develop recommendations for repurposing integration revenue funds to create and sustain opportunities for improved educational outcomes that narrow and close the academic achievement gap.” They began meeting in November 2011 and finalized their report on 7 February 2012. It was passed along to the Minnesota Legislature on 15 February 2012. The Legislature has taken no action to date.

If you feel like writing to the task force, they can be reached at integration.taskforce@gmail.com.

Thanks,
…Eric

Report

On 7 February 2012 the task force voted 10-2 to approve a report to the legislature. This document includes the minority reports.

• Integration Revenue Advisory Task Force Final Recommendations (with changes) PDF.

Documents

These are various documents the committee referred to during its deliberations. Note, an overlapping, but not identical, set of documents can be found on their own official website.

• At the request of Robert Erickson, the MDE School Finance staff prepared an estimate of the cost of various proposed changes to the Integration Revenue formula.
• Final discussion draft of task force report, with notes (PDF)
• One Minnesota Proposal PDF by co-chair Scott Thomas, shared on 31 January 2012 (earlier drafts were shared on 17 January and 24 January).
• Integration Improvement Proposal PDF, by co-chair Peter Swanson, shared on 24 January 2012.
• Recommendations for Repurposing Integration Funds PDF, by Robert Erickson, shared on 17 January 2012 (note this version leaves out roughly 30 pages of quotes from other documents that were in the original).
• Summary on Evaluating Use of Integration Revenue shared by Ann Parks of MDE on 31 January 2012.

Resources

Some resources have been mentioned either at the task force meetings or in other contexts. This is by no means an exhaustive list, feel free to suggest additions!

• Courageous conversations about race: a field guide for achieving equity in schools, by Glenn Singleton. Task force member Katherine Kersten keeps demonizing this book to the task force, bringing it up in at least three meetings. This makes me think it must be worth a read.
• Assault on kids: how hyper-accountability, corporatization, deficit ideologies, and Ruby Payne are destroying our schools, by Roberta Ahlquist, Paul Gorski, Theresa Montaño. EMID parent Mary Hess particularly recommends the chapter on the achievement gap.
• Another integration task force, the Minnesota School Integration Council, met last year and their recommendations, Every Child, Every Day, may also be of interest. Note, the president of this earlier effort was EMID’s own Kathy Griebel and the president-elect was Scott Thomas, a co-chair of the current task force.
• The Integration Report, a monthly update on the status of integration in our nation’s schools.
• 2011 MN STEM Achievement Gap Strategic Plan PDF, by the MN P-20 Education Partnership. In the report, (beginning on pg. 16), there is a significant section devoted to the role of cultural competence and addressing the achievement gap, says EMID parent and UMN teacher Mary Jacobson.
• Teresa Graham provided the task force with this very helpful compilation of 2011-2012 integration budgets from school districts across Minnesota.

• Integration gets a new bill at the MN House
  The report of last year’s integration revenue replacement advisory task force has new life as HF247 sponsored by task force member Rep. Carlos Mariani. The Session Daily wrote a story describing the “revamped aid plan:” HF247 takes the group’s advice and creates a new program called Achievement and Integration for Minnesota or AIM, which would combine ...
• Crosswinds Intersession at the Capitol
  Many intersession students are going to have an exciting day at the Minnesota Capitol this Thursday (2/14) as they spend Valentines Day learning a bit about how state government works. Ms. Siskow launched the field trip as a chance for the Crosswinds World Savvy team to get some recognition for their 2nd place in the ...
• Joint Committee Hearing on Integration
  The Minnesota House and Senate education finance committees are holding a very unusual joint session this Thursday (2/7), 8:15am, in Room 200 of the State Office Building (100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN). This join hearing agenda will include an integration revenue program presentation including the 2012 report and recommendations ...
• MPR: An Imperfect Revolution, Voices from the Desegregation Era
  MPR this afternoon broadcast a really interesting American Radio Works documentary: An Imperfect Revolution, Voices from the Desegregation Era. This is well worth a listen or a read. It provides some valuable insight into things we feel at Crosswinds and Harambee and may give us some legs to stand on with the legislature in arguing ...
• Garofalo schedules Integration Task Force Hearing, 4/4 (Nevermind)
  After months of delay, Rep. Garofalo finally sets a date for a hearing on the task force report. Bright and early, at 8am on Wednesday, April 4. Please testify!
• MinnPost: Integration issue stalls at Capitol
  Beth Hawkins writes that Mariani is drafting a bill based on the task force report.
• Pioneer Press: Minnesota’s integration program supported by religious leaders
  Megan Boldt covers ISAIAH and Garofalo’s buck-passing move.
• ISAIAH asks the Legislature to hear the integration task force report
  A network of congregations lobbies and holds a press conference to call the legislature to hold a hearing regarding the task force recommendations.
• Pioneer Press: Overhaul of Minnesota school integration in limbo
  Mila Koumpilova shines light on the Legislature’s readiness to hear Kersten but not the task force report.
• Augsburg College Public Debate: Integration Funding
  Two task force members debate the recommendations of the report.
• MPR: Task force recommends greater oversight, guidance for school integration efforts
  Interviews with various task force members.
• Integration task force report issued
  The Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force has issued its final report to the legislature, including the two minority reports.
• MinnPost: Integration task force forwarding results to Cassellius
  Just when you thought hardly anyone in the state Legislature could spell compromise, much less produce one…
• Swanson and Kersten file a minority report
  Content of minority report not available until final report goes to Legislature.
• Star Tribune: A positive grade for integration aid plan
  Editors declare that the report “strikes good balance between support, accountability.”
• Star Tribune: A bad idea just keeps coming back
  Katherine Kersten imagines the Twin Cities going the way of Hartford, Connecticut.
• Daily Planet: Integration revenue task force approves plan
  Alleen Brown summarizes the elements of the task force report for the Twin Cities Daily Planet.
• Star Tribune: State integration task force adopts plan to close achievement gap
  Kim McGuire summarizes “almost a year” of task force work on integration. Um.
• Integration Task Force Approves Report that Affirms Integration
  Minnesota’s Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force approves a report that, believe it or not, affirms integration efforts.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 7 February 2012
  The task force wordsmiths a report to the legislature including both legislative and fiscal recommendations. Votes 10-2 to approve the report.
• Star Tribune: Task force seeks a deal on $100M in school integration aid
  Steve Brandt writes about the task force’s efforts to get past differences.
• Integration Task Force Considers Metro-wide Integration District
  Scott Thomas, co-chair of the task force, puts a proposal on the table that would bundle together all metro-area integration magnet schools into a single seven-county district.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 31 January 2012
  The task force discusses a third version of the Thomas plan in some detail, hears from Ann Parks of MDE, and returns to plans from Erickson and Swanson. Orfield is heard to say he likes meeting with Erickson and wants to meet some more.
• MSR: State’s integration programs face uncertain future
  Alleen Brown story picked up by “the voice of the African American community.”
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 24 January 2012
  The task force engages in some revealing dialog as they debate proposals by the two co-chairs.
• Daily Planet: Integration programs face uncertain future as task force deadline nears
  Alleen Brown writes about the work of the task force and the variety of integration efforts around Minnesota.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 17 January 2012
  The task force discusses proposals by Scott Thomas and Robert Erickson. Beginning of discussion of parameters of report. Differences emerging.
• Testimony of Kristin Konop to the Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force, 1/10/12
  Kristin Konop testifies to the task force about how integrated schools affected two very different people.
• Testimony of Dr. Jennifer Marker Johnson to the Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force, 1/10/12
  Dr. Jennifer Marker Johnson testifies to the task force about the value of EMID as a unique environment.
• Testimony of Eric Celeste to the Integration Revenue Replacement Advisory Task Force, 1/10/12
  Eric Celeste testifies to the task force about the perils of relying on statewide testing scores to judge programs.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 10 January 2012
  The task force takes testimony for over six hours from a cast of dozens. Tucks a few minutes of community testimony in at the end.
• Integration revenue task force seeks testimony
  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, ...
• MinnPost: Task force on school integration policy hears sharp debate
  Beth Hawkins talks to Dan Schuman, discusses the constitutionality of integration in Minnesota, and illuminates the opposing viewpoints of two social scientists.
• Star Tribune: Cost vs. benefit steers debate over future of integration aid
  Corey Mitchell writes about the testimony at the 12/20 meeting of the task force. Includes a picture from EMID!
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 20 December 2011
  The task force takes testimony from experts in the field, including social scientists and lawyers. Dan Schulman says, “I am ready to bring a case.”
• Robicheau and Gillette testify to integration revenue task force
  Interim Superintendent Robicheau, EMID Board Chair Cristina Gillette, and EMID graduate Robert Rostrom testify to the integration task force.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 13 December 2011
  The task force takes testimony from many school administrators including the chair of EMID’s board and EMID’s interim superintendent.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 29 November 2011
  The task force takes testimony from Tom Gillaspy, State Demographer, and Tom Melcher, MDE Finance Officer.
• Integration Task Force Meeting: 15 November 2011
  First meeting of the task force.