Key Message:  The “Minnesota’s Promise: World Class Schools, World Class State” is an important guide to future educational and economic success for Minnesota. It needs to become a reality and a standard for our state’s success.

Through the Minnesota’s Promise process, most educational organizations across the state, as well as diverse groups of citizens of our state, identified and agreed upon ten essential elements of a high-performing educational system. They are:

1. Early Childhood Education: Investment in educational success starts early.
2. Educator Quality: Great teachers and principals are recruited, prepared, supported, and retained.
3. Academic Rigor: All academic roads are rigorous, and all lead to higher education.
4. Family and Community Involvement: Families and communities are full partners in education.
5. Multicultural Community: All cultures are included and supported, and connections are made across local and global cultural divides.
6. Data and Research: Educators use data and research to improve teaching and learning every day.
7. Funding: Schools are provided with funding that is predictable and sufficient to produce world-class performance.
8. Time: Schedules and calendars are designed to help all students reach high standards.
9. Special Education: Services for students with disabilities are proactive, effective, efficient, and adequately funded.
10. Health and Wellness: Parents and other stakeholders ensure that students come to school physically and mentally ready to learn.

The Promise: “Minnesota’s Promise” to our children and the future requires vision and support to become reality,

• First, the realization will come through the extraordinary promise of our young people and their ability to imagine, create and manage an even better future for our state. Today’s students are tomorrow’s promise. It is in the interest of all of us to provide each and every child access to a system of public education that will prepare them to take on the awesome opportunities before them.
• Second, the realization will come through our shared and enduring commitment to a framework that ensures students will receive a world-class education that prepares them for success in a rapidly evolving future.

“Where better to invest in our future? The education of our children will ultimately provide Minnesota with both a strong economy and a civilized society.” – Charlie Kyte, Executive Director, MASA

The Challenge: It is difficult to secure the funds needed to implement “Minnesota’s Promise” to its fullest extent. This challenge can only be resolved when the leaders and people of our state reconcile the difference between what we say we value and how we choose to invest our resources.

The Opportunities: Working together, we can grow the willingness and capacity of the people of Minnesota to do more to achieve more. There is a role for everyone in unlocking the potential of today’s leaders and learners to fulfill tomorrow’s promise.

The Questions:

How committed are we to educating our children?

What can you do to fulfill the promise and realize the dream?

• Learn about it. Go to minnesotaspromise.org
• Talk about it. Share what you know or learn with your families, neighborhoods, government officials, and your community and school leaders.
• Commit to it. Find at least one way you can make a difference in your local schools, your school district, and in the state.
• Be willing to pay for it.  A high quality system of public education is the best investment we can make for future returns.

“Our children only have one opportunity to participate in a world-class education system. We must come together as a state and advocate on behalf of our children. If that means more funding, we must find a way to provide it.  The essence of our democracy is rooted in a well-educated population.  Without this, our American way of life will be in jeopardy.” – Gary Amoroso, Superintendent Lakeville Area Schools, MASA President