minneapolis public schools leadership profile...

Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates Minneapolis Public Schools Leadership Profile Report

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Minneapolis Public Schools LEADERSHIP PROFILE REPORT

September 29, 2015

Introduction This report presents the findings of the Leadership Profile Assessment conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) on September 16 & 17, 2015 for the next superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools. The data contained herein were obtained from input the HYA consultants received when they met with individuals and groups in either individual interviews or focus group settings and from the results of the online survey completed by stakeholders. The surveys, interviews, and focus group meetings were structured to gather input to assist the Board in determining the primary characteristics desired in the new superintendent. Additionally the stakeholder interviews and focus groups collected information regarding the strengths of the District and challenges the District will be facing in the coming years. It is noted that the online survey results are in close agreement with the input received in the focus group interviews. Participation Interviewed by the consultants were a number of invited individuals and groups from within the Minneapolis Public Schools and the community. Included within the profile interviews were the following; students, district level administrators, Foundation leaders, teacher union leaders, teachers, principals, elected officials, site council representatives, English language learner representatives, administration cabinet members, Workforce 2020 members, special education advocates, community stakeholders, Davis Center staff, Interfaith group members, union representatives from non-teaching organizations, open meetings for community members, and interviews with each individual school board member. The total number of individuals interviewed or participating within an interview group was 238. The total number of participants providing input into this report totaled 1,361 as a result of the 994 community members and staff who completed the on-line survey and an additional 129 hand written and translated surveys. Representative responses provided by the individuals and focus groups during the interviews are found listed beginning on page 10 of this report. They are listed alphabetically with no attempt to prioritize them. Comments provided by survey respondents were also reviewed and considered by the consultants. It should be emphasized that the data are not a scientific sampling, nor should they necessarily be viewed as representing the majority opinion of the respective groups to which they are attributed. Items are included if, in the consultants’ judgment, they warranted the Board’s attention.


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Strengths of the District Information obtained through interviews and completed questionnaires reflects similar views from all groups with respect to the multiple strengths of the Minneapolis Public Schools. Stakeholders pointed out numerous examples of the District's plethora of academic programs and initiatives to meet the needs of an exceptionally diverse student body. All groups noted a teaching and administrative staff that is passionate about their work with a strong focus on students first. Clearly, the diversity of the City of Minneapolis is reflected in the schools. Students attending the schools come from families that are as diverse as the world and from a full spectrum of financial backgrounds. Talented and remarkable students were consistently noted by participants. Pride and reputation of many of the schools as the best in Minnesota is noted and the District’s reputation in many cases does not reflect the outstanding programs, school and initiatives found within M.P.S. A strategic plan that needs full implementation is embraced by many. Challenges/Concerns/Issues Facing the District The most frequently mentioned challenge to the school district is the need to address a persistent achievement gap. Continuity of focus and changing leadership is a concern and it was often noted that staff turnover may lead to a loss of institutional memory. There is a strong desire to stay on course, eliminate changes and maintain a continuity of focus on goals. An acute need to increase communication with all constituent groups within the District and community was noted by both staff and community members. There is a hunger for additional information about programs and initiatives and the reasons driving decisions. Listening and genuinely valuing the input of those impacted by decisions were noted concerns. Equity as defined by resources and curricular offerings between schools was frequently mentioned as was a polarized and highly political constituent community with many competing demands. A segregated city has led to an M.P.S. struggle to deal with this segregation. An outmigration of students to suburban school districts is an ongoing issue and may not reflect an accurate reputation of the schools within the school district. Desired Characteristics The groups and individuals would like a superintendent who is “everything to all people” thus there was a wide range of suggestions about what the new superintendent should bring to the position. Although the lists of desirable characteristics from all groups were long, there were many agreements that are noteworthy. There is a strong desire that the new superintendent be able to build and nurture relationships with community constituents, organizations, parents, staff, government leaders and the school board. The new superintendent needs to be a good listener and possess strong communication skills with all parties, both internal and external. This person will need to become thoroughly familiar with the history, culture, and needs of the Minneapolis Public Schools, the City of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota. It is expected that the new superintendent will be fully engaged in school and community life, highly visible and politically savvy to deal with both internal and external political factions.


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They would like a collaborative educational leader who understands the importance of gaining the trust and respect of staff, parents and the community. Establishing a strong and productive working relationship with the School Board members is vitally important. Someone with an inclusive management style that empowers and holds staff accountable is desired. Providing a laser-like focus on consistent and long term key goals and initiatives is highly desired. Nearly all groups noted that the new superintendent will need to be knowledgeable of educational trends, research and innovative practices, and able to lead an urban school district with significant diversity. Business acumen and an understanding of school finance and budgeting are also desired in the next superintendent. The individual should be intelligent, courageous in defending recommendations that benefit students, self-confident, fair, accessible, approachable, open to new ideas, supportive of proven innovation and be of unquestioned integrity. The top characteristics that emerged from the strong online survey responses reinforced many of the themes expressed in the focus group interviews, and, in order of importance, included the following:

Foster a positive professional climate of mutual trust and respect among faculty, staff, and

administrators.

Listen to and effectively represent the interests and concerns of students, staff, parents,

and community members.

Hold a deep appreciation for diversity and the importance of providing safe and caring

school environments.

The high level of survey responses, along with the participation in the focus groups and community meetings, are strong indicators of the value the community and staff place on finding a talented leader who can build on the past, while energetically moving the District boldly forward toward greater student achievement and success. HYA cannot promise to find a candidate who possesses all of the characteristics desired by respondents. However, HYA and the Board intend to meet the challenge of finding an individual who possesses most of the skills and character traits required to address the concerns expressed by the constituent groups. We will seek a new superintendent who can work with the Minneapolis Public Schools School Board to provide the leadership needed to continue to raise academic performance while meeting the unique needs of each of its students and schools. We commend the Minneapolis Public Schools School Board for their efforts to include representatives from many diverse and varied groups within the school district and greater community in the search process. The online survey was open from August 31 to September 17 and then reopened at the request of the school board for an additional two days. Invitations to participate in the survey and/or focus groups were sent to 12 community partnership groups, 14 foundations and corporations, 7 community stake holder groups, 150 school site council chairs, 1000+ parents, 20 members of Workforce 2020, 30 interfaith partners, 42 elected officials, 19 M.P.S. executive cabinet members, 24 ELL staff, 9 special education staff, all Davis Center staff, all principal and assistant principals and18 labor union representatives with a request to share the invitation with their constituents. In addition the M.P.S. website homepage ran a banner with a link to the survey and an invitation to the open community meetings, M.P.S. Facebook included


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prompts to complete the survey and/or attend the community meetings, and the M.P.S news Twitter tweeted an invitation to provide feedback on four occasions. We wish to express our appreciation and thanks to the respondents whose concern for the District and commitment to the Minneapolis Public Schools was evident as they provided us with their perspectives through the focus group meetings or the online survey. Also, we would like to thank each of the Minneapolis staff members and in particular Jennifer Lindquist who arranged the interview schedule and assisted with the logistical details of the profile interview meetings. Respectfully submitted, Ted Blaesing Louise Coleman HYA & Associates


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Online Superintendent Profile Survey Results The Superintendent Profile survey was completed by 994 stakeholders. Almost half of the respondents were parents (46.8 percent). Eighteen percent were teachers, and another 17.5 percent were community members. The rest were administrators, students and support staff.

Stakeholder Group Frequency Percent

Administrator 66 6.6

Community Member 174 17.5

Parent 465 46.8

Student 20 2.0

Support Staff 81 8.1

Teacher 188 18.9

Total 994 100.0

The top-rated characteristics respondents selected for a superintendent were:

Foster a positive professional climate of mutual trust and respect among faculty, staff, and

administrators. (CC)

Listen to and effectively represent the interests and concerns of students, staff, parents,

and community members. (CE)

Hold a deep appreciation for diversity and the importance of providing safe and caring

school environments. (VV)

Percentages of respondents overall who selected each item, as well as percentages by stakeholder group, are given in the tables on the following pages. Benchmark results from over seventy comparable districts, incorporating the ranking of over thirty-five thousand stakeholders, are also provided in the table to allow for a comparison of results to national norms.


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Percentage of Respondents Who Selected Each Item (By Subgroups)

Number indicates rank order by overall results

National HYA

Benchmark

ALL (994)

Admin (66)

Comm. Mem. (174)

Parent (465)

Student (20)

SS (81)

Teach (188)

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Foster a positive professional climate of mutual trust and respect

among faculty, staff, and administrators.

32% 56% 65% 55% 52% 30% 62% 65%

2

Listen to and effectively represent the interests and concerns of students, staff, parents, and

community members.

37% 53% 38% 43% 58% 45% 56% 55%

3

Hold a deep appreciation for diversity and the importance of providing safe and caring school

environments.

29% 51% 50% 53% 46% 45% 60% 56%

4

Have a clear vision of what is required to provide exemplary

educational services and implement effective change.

39% 42% 39% 49% 40% 55% 33% 41%

5

Recruit, employ, evaluate, and retain effective personnel

throughout the District and its schools.

27% 38% 36% 37% 43% 15% 37% 29%

6 Promote high expectations for all students and personnel.

34% 36% 41% 42% 40% 30% 32% 21%

7

Hold a deep understanding of the teaching/learning process and of

the importance of educational technology.

36% 36% 38% 28% 35% 55% 35% 45%

8 Lead in an encouraging,

participatory, and team-focused manner.

28% 35% 33% 27% 36% 25% 38% 42%

9 Be visible throughout the District

and actively engaged in community life.

33% 31% 35% 25% 27% 45% 38% 40%

10

Encourage a sense of shared responsibility among all

stakeholders regarding success in student learning.

38% 31% 38% 33% 27% 20% 32% 36%

11

Increase academic performance and accountability at all levels and

for all its students, including special needs populations.

35% 30% 36% 37% 30% 35% 28% 23%

12 Involve appropriate stakeholders in the decision-making process.

22% 29% 24% 29% 28% 20% 32% 34%

13 Identify, confront, and resolve issues and concerns in a timely

manner. 28% 29% 24% 24% 30% 30% 35% 28%


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Percentage of Respondents Who Selected Each Item (By Subgroups)

Number indicates rank order by overall results

National HYA

Benchmark

ALL (238)

Admin (9)

Comm. Mem. (32)

Parent (59)

Student (70)

SS (55)

Teach (13)

14 Seek a high level of engagement

with principals and other school-site leaders.

20% 27% 30% 22% 31% 60% 20% 22%

15 Communicate effectively with a

variety of audiences and in a variety of ways.

27% 27% 20% 20% 28% 30% 37% 27%

16 Effectively plan and manage the long-term financial health of the

District. 27% 26% 20% 24% 30% 20% 20% 23%

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Align budgets, long-range plans, and operational procedures with the District’s vision, mission, and

goals.

21% 24% 27% 33% 24% 20% 16% 20%

18 Strive for continuous

improvement in all areas of the District.

35% 22% 32% 25% 21% 30% 31% 15%

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Develop strong relationships with constituents, local government,

area businesses, media, and community partners.

25% 21% 20% 30% 18% 10% 17% 24%

20

Provide meaningful guidance for systematic and comprehensive

district-wide curriculum, instructional services, assessment

programs, and professional development.

27% 21% 23% 26% 21% 25% 14% 20%

21

Guide the operation and maintenance of school facilities to

ensure secure, safe, and clean school environments that support

learning.

21% 17% 8% 14% 18% 30% 26% 18%

22

Maintain positive and collaborative working

relationships with the school board and its members.

27% 17% 14% 17% 20% 15% 10% 14%

23 Be an effective manager of the District’s day-to-day operations.

23% 14% 11% 13% 13% 15% 21% 16%

24 Utilize student achievement data

to drive the District’s instructional decision-making.

22% 12% 29% 18% 8% 15% 12% 11%

25 Act in accordance with the

District’s mission, vision, and core beliefs.

35% 12% 27% 14% 9% 15% 12% 11%


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Consistent Themes Listed in alphabetical order

Strengths

Access to college for high schoolers has increased; PSEO, College in the Schools and I.B. Programme were particularly noted.

Breadth of programs that students can chose to take advantage of that meet the needs of all students.

Course offerings. A robust offering of courses to meet the need of all learners to include numerous college programs. The expansion of International Baccalaureate programs is a particular point of pride.

Dedicated and committed teachers, administrators and staff who are passionate about their work with a strong student focus.

Diversity. In the words of a community member, “The school district is like a small United Nations with many different nationalities.”

Pride and reputation of schools. There are a number of communities that are very proud of their school and enjoy a reputation as some of the best schools in the State of Minnesota.

Strategic plan is embraced by many and there is a strong desire that the new superintendent will continue to implement the current plan.

Students. A very diverse student body that is composed of outstanding students. Comments such as “we have smart kids” or “we have great students” were common.

Challenges/Concerns/Issues

Achievement gap that is persistent and difficult to narrow.

Communication in a timely fashion that meets the needs of multiple audiences.

Constancy of focus and follow through. Shifting emphasis, goals and planning without complete and thorough implementation.

Polarized constituencies who view the district as being responsive only if their needs are being addressed. Multiple competing demands for equity as viewed by different staff, neighborhoods, parents and community members.

Reputation and reality disconnect. Out migration of students and families from the Minneapolis Public Schools to other school districts in part due to reputation.

Segregation and demographics within the City of Minneapolis. Areas of racial and income disparity and segregation are difficult for the school district to manage with schools that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.

Staff turnover, retention and diversity. A need for increased number of teachers who more closely reflect the diversity of the student body. Accompanying staff turnover comes an absence of institutional memory.


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Desired Characteristics

Business acumen and knowledgeable of sound financial management practices. Educator who understands and utilizes the latest research, educational trends, and

innovation in the areas of curriculum, instruction and assessment. Embraces and learns the unique culture and history of the State of Minnesota, City of

Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Public Schools. Outstanding communicator with refined listening skills and the ability to genuinely engage

parents, community, students and staff members. Politically savvy and is able to effectively work with local, state, regional and national

thought leaders, influencers and decision makers. Relationship builder. Highly refined skills and ability to build healthy and productive

working relationships with community organizations, business leaders, elected and appointed government officials, parents, staff, students and the school board.

Visible in the schools and community who consistently exudes a positive image as the face of the school district.

Provides stability and constancy of direction with a laser like focus on priorities that first and foremost meet the needs of children within the Minneapolis Public Schools.


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Representative Comments from Interviews and Focus Group Meetings

September 16 & 17, 2015 Listed in alphabetical order

ADMINISTRATORS Strengths

Awareness. There is a growing awareness to heal all students.

Community partnerships are strong.

Comprehend research and understand language.

Course offerings. MSP has a robust offering of courses to meet the needs of all learners.

Data - complete data at our fingertips that we can use.

Diversity - Very diverse community.

Funding community is engaged and helpful.

Growing as district, student base – receives a lot of resources (finances).

Inclusion. We have more inclusive practices.

International Baccalaureate.

Layoffs at the Davis Center were a good thing. There were too many people here.

Local vs. district perception is very different. They love their schools but are suspicious of the district.

Name it and claim it. We do good things but many times we don’t name it and claim it.

Passion and a serious belief in making it “happen” for kids.

Pride and school pride. There are a number of communities that are very proud of their school, not necessarily the school district but their school.

Referendum in support of school district.

Schools. Some of best high schools in the state.

Smart, passionate leadership for students and staff.

Special education services are excellent.

Staff members who are committed and passionate.

Staff take their responsibilities very seriously.

Strategic plan. Strong Strategic Plan. Challenges/Concerns/Issues

Achievement disparity, social programs.

Achievement gap. We have the largest achievement gap in the U.S.A.

Board dysfunction. Principals are trying their best to lead their building but the board’s dysfunction sends a terrible message about our school district.

Challenged to go deep vs. wide in terms of everything.


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Change in direction. Rapidly changing course – paralysis on the part of people – don’t know what they are doing.

Consistency. Principals need to be left in their buildings and roles long enough to do their jobs and do them well.

Coordination. Lots going on but not connected.

Corporate mentality is not good for schools.

Culture of fear of losing their livelihoods and jobs. This is prevalent within the Davis Center.

Culture of planning not a culture of doing.

Distrust. Assistant Principals are fearful that they won’t be promoted unless they respond to requests coming from the Davis Center.

Distrust. There is immense distrust between the schools and the Davis Center.

Equity and the racial achievement gap.

Equity in terms of our curriculum and allocation of resources.

Organizational identity is struggling.

Reactive. We are more reactive than proactive.

Roles and protocol confusion. Clear roles and protocol are not understood.

Roles need to be defined for district level.

Segregation. The city is very segregated. As a school district we need to be more proactive in reducing the segregation within our neighborhoods and schools.

Segregation. Unintentionally segregate.

Self-inflicted problems and perception. We have staff that speak badly about our schools and our school district.

Student focus. We need to move from adult-focused problems to centering on students and this requires accountability to the adults in the system with space for creativity.

Teacher turnover. High turnover of teachers in general.

Team - Not a sense of team.

Vision. Need Common vision/common goal. Desired Characteristics

Accessible to building leaders beyond monthly meetings through informal or small group gatherings.

Appreciation for the history and uniqueness of Minneapolis.

Builder. Build a culture of teacher learning.

Challenges system as a whole.

Community conversation with white folks so they understand that their kids need to go to school with brown kids.

Education background or values educators.

Environment creator. Creates an environment of trust and honesty - where people can speak their truth.

Experience as a teacher and a principal.


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Humor, open minded, dependable, honest, follow through skills, flexibility, relationship builder.

Innovator or at least a supporter of innovation.

Laser like focus.

Listener. Knowledgeable. Experienced. Transparent. Empowering. Inspirational. Visible. Involved. Empowering.

M.P.S. students first and asks what is best for students in every decision.

Mission that inspires kids and not just accountability measures.

Planner – Has a plan to improve.

Prioritizing skills. Have skills to prioritize work for the system.

Rooted and invested in Minneapolis and Minnesota.

Situational Leadership flexibility.

Stands up to the school board.

Student centered. Makes difficult decisions in the best interest of students - sometimes upending long-standing power structures in the district.

Support for people who make tough decisions.

System thinker. Strong system thinker.

Tackles segregation.

Vision. Clear vision and stay the course.

Visionary who will commit to implementing instructional and leadership best practices in all schools that will increase the quality of education that our students deserve.

Working with others. Ability to work with others.


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COMMUNITY MEMBERS Strengths

Academically challenging environment in some schools.

African American initiative for African American Males.

Athletics. Access to high school athletics for middle school students.

Board meetings are accessible.

Clinics in high schools and mental health services.

Communication. Proactive communication.

Community and family engagement office.

Community partnerships are very strong.

Community. Vibrant engaged community.

Continuity of curriculum between schools.

Conversations on new and innovative ways to educate students.

Diverse student population. Diversity – majority of people of color (reflection of our city).

Diversity. Embraces diversity. Diversity. Tremendous diversity.

Diversity within school options – bilingual schools, magnet schools, Montessori, etc.

Early Childhood Education excellent and cost free.

Engaging community.

Equity. Making our high schools more equitable.

Family liaisons at each school play a huge role.

Financial accountability and disclosure are improved.

Image. M.P.S. is the face of Minnesota

Lobbyist. Interaction with the school lobbyists.

Location of central office. Location. District office location is accessible to community.

Multicultural and multiple languages in the school district.

Open enrollment. Many suburban families open enroll into M.P.S.

Options and variety of options within our schools.

Partnerships – there are many community partnerships with the school district.

People and students are great.

People are engaged. People power. Staff who are very passionate about their work.

Positive energy from the district.

Schools - Some schools are doing well.

Schools are safe.

Schools can make significant gains if students stay enrolled in their school.

Schools. We have schools that are some of the best schools in the country.

Search firm. Outside search firm and separate set of eyes to look at the district are important.

Size. District is not too big, not too small.

Staff development is exceptional.


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Students are very diverse.

Students. High income students are performing well.

Students. We have really smart kids.

Success of the schools is often overshadowed by individuals using MPS as a model of what is wrong with school finance.

Superintendent Leadership Team.

Suspension. Commitment to address the causes of suspensions.

Teachers and administrators. High levels of dedication among teachers and administrators. Quality teachers – quality administrators.

Teachers and staff who care deeply about the students. Teachers that care about the students. The overwhelming majority of teachers care deeply about the students.

Teachers. Many dedicated teachers.

United Nations. The school district is like a small united nations with many different nationalities.

“What is a public school?” is a question that is being redefined and M.P.S. is on the cutting edge of answering this question.


Adult leadership squabbling is getting in the way of effective leadership.

Advocacy from parents is uneven for students.

Allocation of resources.

Board violates its policies sometimes.

Broken system.

Budget process is creating a strong perception of winners and losers.

Change. Too much change and turnover of programs.

College preparation is uneven between graduates from the different high schools.

Communicating with diverse populations in their native language is poor.

Communication. Lack of clear communication. Lack of communication slows down partnerships. Slow to receive information.

Compensation. Superintendent compensation is low when compared to others.

Continuity of focus and length of tenure.

Disparate treatment particularly for families who are immigrants.

Disparity between schools.

Disrespectful to the community.

Diversity. Diversity of neighborhoods and poverty.

Educational pathways are not clearly defined for families.

Employees. Lots of talented staff were fired.

Fear. Underlying culture of fear.

Flight of students from M.P.S. to St. Anthony and Brooklyn Center is robust but M.P.S. does little to attempt to retain these kids.


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Focus. Lack of focus on the top three things and a focus on too many things. Lack of focus on top issues.

Fragmented leadership. Not a united front.

Helping recent immigrant students become successful.

High school dropout rate is a concern.

Implementation policies are not clear regarding translations.

Inequities go to the product itself and many people believe that M.P.S. is failing.

Inequity between buildings such as after school programs and community education offerings.

Inequity within the community is illustrated by voting disparity with more votes coming from the Southwest area of M.P.S.

Knee jerk responses to issues.

Leadership turnover.

Leadership. No courageous leadership.

Migration of families out of the school district. Migration of students. Students are leaving M.P.S. Why?

Noise. Get rid of the noise.

Opportunity to have a louder voice at the state and county.

Over-identification of special education students.

Pathways for some schools are clear but in other places they are not as clear.

Perception of the school district is very poor.

Perception that the Minneapolis schools and in particular the Davis Center are dysfunctional.

Philanthropy. Do not see philanthropy helping the schools to move forward.

Polarization and getting more polarized.

Regulations within M.P.S. are stifling.

Resource allocation. Need to put resources around programs.

Respect the plan that is already in existence and don’t shift plans.

Retention of appropriate share of students who live within the school district.

Retention of staff and replacing staff who will be retiring.

Retention of teaching staff. We have lost many of our best teachers in part due to inconsistency of programs and building leadership.

School board dealing with minutia.

School Board is dysfunctional.

School culture. Some schools are like a prison.

Segregation of the community by wealth and race.

Standardized testing and too much focus on testing.

Student treatment. Concern how students are treated – self-esteem of minority students is demonstrated by the way they are treated.

Support for students. What is MPS willing to offer Somalian students when they are under constant surveillance?


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Teacher diversity in the district.

Teacher pupil ratio.

Top heavy/too many administrators.

Translating things for teachers is not done.

Turnover and lack of consistency with ever changing leadership to include school board members.

Unity in vision is lacking.

Whipsaw of constant change in programs and focus and absence of stability.


Accessible. Energetic. Experienced. Visible. Bi-lingual. Approachable. Power. Grit. Savvy. Risk Taker. Multilingual. Transparent. Trustworthy. Courageous.

Accessible to community.

Addresses racial inequality.

Advocate for the school district and in particular advocating for M.P.S. at the State Legislature.

Board relationship builder. Work with the board and create cohesiveness.

Board relationships. Someone who can work with and develop a productive working relationship with the elected members of the school board.

Budgeting and financial background experience.

Budgeting and fiscal acumen.

Build relationships internally and externally.

Builder of productive working relationships with state, county and local officials.

Challenges the culture of politics within the school district.

Child focus first. Child focus.

Classroom experience.

Clear vision.

Communicator. Good communicator.

Confident and exudes an image of confidence in her/his ability and their political responsiveness.

Connections with students, family and teachers. They understand what is happening within the lives of the students and their families.

Consistency and a good communicator.

Culturally competent.

Demonstrated success.

Engage with community partners.

Engaged. Interested in Diversity – be engaged.

Equitable in treating all sub-populations within the community.

Experienced with and understand bi-lingual and multiple cultural demographics.

Experienced. Classroom experience. Organizational leadership skills.

Focus on top three things.


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Follow through.

Global perspective of cultures.

Immigrant community background.

Knowledge of language acquisition.

Leader, confident to make right call or right decisions.

Listener - Hear, pay attention to all communities.

Listener. Listener. Listens to students and their voices.

Micro, Macro thinker.

Not a stepping stone. Demonstrated record of success.

Outsider who has been in a big district and has dealt with the integration issues.

Passion about student’s wellbeing.

Person of color. Not a white superintendent.

Planner – Business Minded.

Planner and understands how to execute a plan.

Politically savvy within Minneapolis and Minnesota.

Politically smart. Can cut through the political process. Progression of professional experience.

Reaches out and connects with students.

Relationship builder with families.

Self-awareness. Know who you are and know your own biases.

Share responsibility and power with the school.

Stability. Stay the course and not change everything.

Strategic plan. Moves forward with the strategic plan.

Strategic thinker to operate in a complex organization.

Strong manager who can make the Davis Center more responsive.

Strong organizational manager.

Student advocate.

Supporting teachers in the classroom.

Supports staff and respects the expertise within the staff.

Supports the school sites.

Team builder. Team building with community leaders and parents.

Track record and evidence of success.

Understands and appreciates our community.

Understands the community and the diversity of our students’ needs.

Unifier of the district.

Values, nurtures and grows their staff (professional development).

Vision. A long-term vision.

Visionary, courageous. Integrity. Humility.

Voice. Be a voice in the community.


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PARENTS Strengths

Breadth of programs that students can chose to take advantage of - for all students.

Community feeling and our neighborhood schools and we are the roots to the community.

Diversity and the fact that parents are continuing to choose our public schools.

Diversity and the range of diversity; cultural, income, newcomers, race, etc.

Equity in the quality of programs and facilities between the schools.

Food and nutrition programs.

Inclusive classrooms particularly of students with special needs are better than other schools and in particular charter schools.

Parent involvement is very strong and their voices are heard.

Parent voice is very strong.

Performing arts programs are very strong.

Principals – dedicated and talented.

Quality. Awesome education here.

Representation within the District Site council.

Small schools and keeping small and under enrolled schools open.

Students! We have great kids.

Teachers. Dedicated teachers. Challenges/Concerns/Issues

Administration with way too many people at the high end.

Business model does not work within the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Choice programs in Minnesota and in particular the impact on M.P.S. is a disaster.

Class size. Lowering class size.

Communication has been very poor in the district. Communication with parents, i.e. authentic parent communication.

Davis Center frustration.

Equity of programs across the district. What is the baseline of programming for all schools?

Funding or per pupil vs other models.

Institutional memory and knowledge is lacking.

Parent voice may not be as strong as other voices.

Providing an environment that has a level of consistency and stability would engender confidence from the community at large.

Shifting focus and poor implementation of programs.

Stability. Keeping people in the same jobs and eliminate turnover of employees.

Staff that reflects the diversity of the students.


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Stakeholder disparity. Critical need to balance the many and extremely disparate stakeholders.

Student attrition. One of the factors that is killing us right now is the attrition of students who opt for other choices. Parents who possess an educated background too often choose suburban or charter schools for their children. This decision is often made with a heavy heart.

Welcoming environment is lacking. For example, no one welcomed us today or even directed us to the proper room.


Administrator in all dimensions of the word.

Advocate. Constant and vocal advocate for Minneapolis public schools.

Background in public education, curriculum, and a deep understanding and appreciation for the wonderful diversity in the Minneapolis public schools.

Board relationship builder.

Brilliant and amazing at leading in a highly conflict ridden environment.

Broad academy background is not wanted.

Builder of trust. Building a culture of trust, celebration, and stability is important.

Culturally competent.

Educator. Deep understanding of the teaching/learning process.

Financial and political acumen to work with legislators on properly funding schools.

Fiscally astute and understands the complexities of school funding and budgeting.

Focus on the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of the kids rather than a focus on test scores.

Honest, engaging, positive person who can foster organizational change and growth with parents as partners.

Intelligent, pragmatic, courageous & able to make difficult decisions.

Invested in Minneapolis, its students, its families and its teachers.

Listener. Listens to the teachers and administration in schools.

Marketing expertise. Marketing our schools is very important.

Planner. Has a clear, evidence/data driven, long term plan for the district.

Recognition that we are not a business and not a market place.

Relationship builder.

Respects and values all parents, students and staff.

Stability. Term stability in the position, rather than constant turnover, is important.

Strategic plan continuity. Work with the strategic plan that exists, rather than start from scratch.

Student-centric in thought. That they are focused on the student experience of school. That students feel cared for and safe (physically and emotionally).

Sustainability, stamina, focused, unifier, trustworthy, flexibility, experienced, studious, consistent, authentic, steady, responsible, confident, warrior, trusting.


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Teaching experience. Teaching experience in diverse urban settings would be best.

Team builder.

Understands the barriers in the achievement gap and someone who is willing to tackle the tough questions.

Understands the neighborhoods within M.P.S.


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SCHOOL BOARD Strengths

Academic achievement of a certain population of students.

Access to college for high schoolers has increased; PSEO, College in the Schools and I.B. Programme.

Breakfast and lunch for every student. Healthier meals.

Choice of school program is good and folks are choosing to go to schools that are now doing well compared to the past.

Community input is strong.

Diversity of our students and we are trying to do our best for every single one of them.

Diversity. Incredibly diverse. Embrace diversity/Can be leveraged.

Equitable education. We are focused on providing an equitable and outstanding education regardless of a student’s zip code.

Family choices for their students. We give families a lot of choices.

Food & nutrition are nationally recognized and we feature healthier & local food choices.

Good understanding of what needs to be done.

Graduation rate has increased significantly in the past three years.

Graduation rate is improving.

History and tradition but many good things happening.

I.B. implementation was the largest in the world; six high schools of which five are fully I.B. Nearly all of our middle schools are I.B. and access to the primary I.B. programs for students.

I.B. Programs. I.B initiatives are very robust.

Minneapolis. The city is healthy: the population is growing.

Neighborhood and magnet schools.

North High was kept open. Critical to have strong high schools to keep neighborhoods vital.

Planning. Great at planning.

Potential - Lots of untapped potential.

Programs and course offerings. Wide array of programs and offerings.

Specialized schools, health services for high school students, I.B. Diploma Programme, neighborhood schools.

Staff are pragmatic, honest and forthcoming.

State standards. Good standards in the state.

Students, diversity and their interest toward each other.

Teachers and administrators. Very good teachers/administrators.

Teachers are outstanding.

Teachers. We have some great teachers.


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Academic achievement and the gap.

Balance. In a larger sense the challenge is how do we deal with the data driven outcomes balanced with a holistic approach? How do we keep all kinds of programs and meet the needs that are not necessarily related to test scores?

Communication is a big problem in our district right now. We are explaining and defending rather than being proactive.

Constituent engagement varies within the school board.

Data tools and benchmark assessments are excellent but not used.

Disparate treatment. Seems to be more concern for white kids and black kids and not enough attention to immigrant students or students from East Africa and Latino.

Dissonance between Board and Students.

Equity between schools for programs and resources.

Execution of initiatives is many times lacking.

Focus. Lack of focus.

Follow through.

Growing population.

Implementation and follow thru are lacking…great ideas but implementation is lacking.

Institutional memory is lacking right now.

Insufficient allocation of funds to some schools.

Layers of bureaucracy.

Less ambition for high academic expectations across the board.

More diversity among teaching staff.

Need for cultural competency.

Parent engagement is not consistent.

Perceptions of the quality of our schools are often incorrect.

Polarized political environment with folks who are ideologically driven and because of political constituencies it limits decisions being made.

Political aspect/segregation lopsided across the city.

Political influence. We often times don’t have a mindset of the right thing to do because it won’t play politically.

Process management is very poor.

Schools are about more than the greatest academic programs in the world.

Segregated city of Minneapolis.

Students of color are not doing great. Need to do more. Immigrant students (24%) are really behind hence we need new strategies to address this need. It is not about race or color it is about providing the education necessary for ELL students to succeed; become doctors, teachers, etc. in USA.

Tension among students.

Transition and lots of turnover within our administration.

Transparency within the school district for example the number of files on our website.


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Adaptive solutions.

Anticipates issues and problems and has a communication plan to address these issues.

Articulate in helping the community understand what M.P.S. has to offer.

Balanced approach. Balancing autonomy of the schools with district wide programs and initiatives.

Board relationships. Embracing the board would be helpful since we know the community and have access that the superintendent doesn’t have.

Builder of trust.

Passionate - care for students.

Celebrate his/her accountability

Celebrates the uniqueness of each school.

Challenges expectations.

Class room teaching experience is important. What made him/her a great teacher and administrator?

Classroom experience and steady progression in roles as an administrator.

Classroom understanding… understands the classroom and challenges the staff is faced with in a day.

Collaborative. Visionary.

Committed to address health and wellness for all students.

Communication. Strategic communication thinker.

Communicator.

Community partnership plan needs to be implemented.

Courageous – makes a difference -very strong person – accountable for his/her work and holds others accountable.

Dedicated to district students and staff.

Doctorate is not necessary.

Educator - a capital “E” educator.

ELL. Clear understanding of ELL and how to meet the needs of ELL students and recent immigrants.

Embraces and learns the unique culture and history of Minneapolis. Understands the history and culture of Minneapolis.

Empathy. The ability to relate to all groups.

Energy, focus, dedication around initiative and strategic plans.

Engaging with staff and someone who is a good fit with the staff.

Equity and person of color.

Execution skills. Implementer and doer.

Experienced. Either Asst. Supt or current superintendent is acceptable. Experience in a system of 10,000+.


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Face of the District and have deep conviction and commitment to make every school successful.

Face of the district. An articulate and convincing spokesperson for the District.

Fair. Strong sense of fairness.

Focused.

Full service community schools - Have familiarity or experience.

Good understanding of leadership style (understands who they are).

Healthy with lots of energy.

Immerses himself/herself in Minneapolis.

Implementer. Ready to implement.

Knowledgeable of the autonomous school initiative needs to be nurtured as the school is an agent of change.

Knows his/her strengths and areas of improvement.

Listener.

Long tenure – come and stay with us for a long time.

Minnesota and Minneapolis culture. Appreciates and understands our culture.

Morally ethical as a person.

No choice – charter advocate.

Open and vocal to and with individuals.

Parent engagement and a broad definition of what it means for parent engagement. It might be a parent who has dinner when they get home and a quiet place to study. It doesn’t necessarily mean they show up at school for meetings, etc.

Parent involvement! A person that believes that we can’t do this without parents.

Partnership involvement and recognizes an acute need for partners.

Passion for Equity.

Politically insulated. Someone who does not get wrapped up in politics of the Board.

Politically savvy. Navigate the political landscape.

Proactive.

Relationship builder. Have a relationship with state and country.

Respects and embraces diversity.

Responsible. Risk Taker. Transparent.

Site based management expertise. Understanding of and supports site based management.

Solution vs. process focus.

Stand up to community.

Stay the course.

Strategic plan. Accepts the strategic plan and helps us execute this plan.

Takes ownership of the achievement gap.

Understands the cultural differences among the students. Understands the needs of our student body and the unique backgrounds of many of our students.

Urgency. Has a sense of urgency in meeting the needs of students. Move with urgency.

Vision. Driven by vision.


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SUPPORT STAFF Strengths

Community programming – vocal community, active philanthropy.

Davis Center. Grateful for Davis Center.

Dedicated staff.

Diversity in schools.

Diversity of programming.

Diversity of families and students.

Focus and priorities. Right priorities in place – right focus.

Graduates stay with the district/mentors.

Graduates. M.P.S. graduates still connected/also seeking employment and need training.

People. Great people. Superstars.

Quality of education with hard working staff. Challenges/Concerns/Issues

Alumni input. Need to develop connections with M.P.S. graduates for direction. Bargaining issues plus contract issues. Board has to be a part of the team. Communication. Lack of communication. Community engagement. Lack of engagement in the community. Constant change of leadership. Curriculum literacy process. Employment not reflective of student population. Engagement. We don’t use people input – we don’t do meaningful engagement. Finance is not transparent. Follow through. Start programs – do not see things through. Lack of training/ lack of leadership. Leadership does not reflect who we serve. Leadership focused on next promotion instead of students. Pattern of losing historical knowledge. Planning absence. No plan for team to follow. Professional Development for leadership and staff. Reactive rather than proactive. Silo decision-making. Silos. Work in silos – communication gaps. Staffing. Not enough support staff. Team. Not a team – no team approach. Too top heavy. Transparency. Lack of transparency – no training. Union Contention – negative communication regarding district. Vision shifting. Having consistent vision is a challenge.


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Accountable – make teams accountable.

Approachable and relationship focused. Approachable by parents, staff, students.

Bridge gap – represent all groups – create team – courageous.

Children attend M.P.S.

Clear vision for plans and what direction.

Clearly articulated values.

Consistent message/empathy for human beings.

Education and financial background.

Experience as educator.

Experienced. Someone who has been in the trenches.

Focus on retaining current staff who contribute meaningfully to the district's mission.

Follow through – true evaluation of programs.

Inspirational.

Knowledge of students with second language.

Leader of leaders. Ability to lead leaders, enabling them to take the reins, run with their ideas and create successful learning environments.

Licensed, has certification.

Politically savvy – thick skin – courage and confidence.

Proven track record/racial equity – long-term plan and vision - communicate regularly.

Recognition of serving all students.

Talent developer…developing talent from within and fostering long-term stability. Someone who can make this a place where talent is recognized and that talented people want to stay and grow.

Understands M.P.S. Strong working knowledge of this district, M.P.S.


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STUDENTS Strengths

Bus cards are working well.

College campus visits. We get to visit college campuses.

College in the School Program.

College programs; ETS, CCC, AVID—Advancement via Individual Determination (noted specifically), IB & AP courses.

Diverse student body.

Diversity. Appreciate diversity.

Family connection—families can connect with school.

How credit works at the high school is much better.

I.B. Programme.

Languages. Variety of languages.

Lunches are made here instead of being packaged.

Out 4 Good.

P.S.E.O. with MCTC and U. of M. and also C.I.S.

Schools connected with each other.

Smaller school size is very nice. More of a family feeling and more one-on-one.

Sports.

Staff support and being available after school time. Student can access teachers in areas they are struggling in.

Staffing and selecting teachers are very good at our school.

Teachers are involved and take time after school for us.

Teachers really do try to connect.

Upward Bound. Challenges/Concerns/Issues

African culture.

AP/IB courses—students misunderstanding what AP/IB really means.

Build a better relationship with us first and then teach us.

Communication. Lack of communication between district and students; students left behind.

Credit conversion communication. Students not informed about changes.

District tends to leave behind higher achieving schools while focusing on low achieving schools.

Diversity and equity.

Diversity. More diversity in AP & IB courses. Predominately white students in courses.

Dress code. How it’s handled—looks from students/teachers; sent home.

Early start.


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Financial support for a lot of things like the football field, visuals in art classes, materials in some classes and more counselors.

Gender neutral bathrooms; not clear how to support transgender students (i.e., gender neutral locker rooms).

Grading policy - relax it to make it easier to get a better grade.

Lunch, in particular more options and occasionally they run out of food.

Mentoring is needed.

More support for STEM, extracurricular programs. No recognition for Robotics.

Pizza Hut in the school, one hour longer for lunch.

Staff that could relate to us perhaps younger staff.

Student needs. More classes that talk to us about us and our needs. We have a 40% graduation rate which is low and make up nearly 50% of the district.

Support for us to explain why education is important and get us on the right track.

Teachers have an understanding that we are more than students and have an outside life.

Teachers need to connect with us and have a conversation rather than just telling us. Teachers that have an attitude or hold a grudge from the last hour.

Teachers. More teachers of color—in leadership roles beyond education assistants like hall monitors.

Tenure—doesn’t necessarily make them a good teacher.

Traditions. We need to form more traditions. Desired Characteristics

Active in the community, live here and be visible.

Advocate for additional clubs in our schools.

Approachable. Able to access—remove the middle people between the super and students.

Balanced focus on academics, sports, clubs and all aspects of a student’s life.

Caring. Enthusiastic. Knowledgeable.

Charismatic, connects with all types of people.

Communicator. Good communicator. Communicate with schools to remove the gap of when decisions are made. Timely.

Connected with the communities that they are helping to run.

Culturally aware.

Diverse and understand competing view points and be open minded.

Engaged with students they meet with on the same level. They shouldn't act like they are in a position of power-- although they are-- but in more of an understanding/mutual position.

Face for all of the schools – spokesperson for our schools.

Great communication skills – good vocabulary.

Highly intelligent, free thinker, not conditioned by mainstream thought. Qualified and experienced superintendent. Caring. Physically fit and healthy.

Highly intelligent, free thinker, not conditioned by mainstream thought.

Holistic perspective. Look at district holistically, through all points of view.


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Humor is important with teachers and others. Not a robot but show us that you are human.

Involved at the community level.

It is a little like having 32,000 kids and it is a huge part of your life but at the same time to keep balance in their life.

Late start advocate. Start later for the high school around 9:00.

Leadership and responsibility. They need to be responsible.

Level headed and balanced approach to dealing with all schools and different school levels. Able to resist the pushing and arguments from some people in the community.

Listener, a deep listener.

Listens. Listens without assuming they are right.

Open-minded, adaptable to needs of students that arise and become more visible over time.

Passionate about their work.

Physically fit and healthy.

Problem recognizer and solver. African-American males have a graduation rate of 49% in this school district.

Purpose. A leader needs to know his/her purpose and clearly defined goals that he/she are working towards. Identifying barriers and find the help to allow all students to succeed.

Qualified and experienced Superintendent.

Respected; not liked necessarily but respected.

Speaking skills. Good speaking skills.

Strategic in their thinking.

Strong to deal with people that are very active in the community.

Student friendly. Engage with students they meet with on the same level. They shouldn't act like they are in a position of power-- although they are-- but in more of an understanding/mutual position.

Takes charge and believes in what they are doing.

Teamwork.

Visible in our schools. Sees us in our schools. Connect with students. Visible - Being involved more than just name and face.


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TEACHERS Strengths

Climate of cooperation. Collaboration. The situation that many times we find ourselves in forces us to collaborate. Consistent support, professional development, system in place for evaluation of instruction

– systems in place to monitor compliances. District commitment to grow its own people. Diverse community/workforce to accommodate diversity. Educate all children – climate of direction and focus. Governor supportive of education. Human Resources Department has phenomenal staff. Integration and diversity. Opportunities for students. Political climate. Good political climate. Programs. Implementation of and plethora of programs. Progressive school district. Quality teachers – rich resources – resources based curriculum and instruction. Reputation of some of our schools is excellent. Schools. Awesome schools. Strategic plan. Identified strategic plan for directions. Student-centered schools and school district. We attempt to serve the families and

students first and foremost Students are terrific. Teachers are dedicated and hard workers. Teachers are the protective bubble for many of our kids. Teachers in Minneapolis are top notch.


Business model. Introduction of the Business Model

Communication has declined for some communities.

Community engagement. Better job for community engagement.

Consistency. Lack of consistency at district office – lack personnel to train administrators of hiring/Principals are out of school too much.

Dehumanize people – many inconsistencies all over the district.

Delay in processing special education – lack cultural competency in program.

Disconnect between district leadership and staff working directly with students.

Diversity in the work force is declining.

Focus and desire. As a school district we desire to do a lot of things well but how do they mesh and lead to success?

Funding for special education now goes to each school and it is not adequate and hence teachers are spending a lot of their own money.

Human Capital –operate in secrecy – District needs to be more transparent.


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Lack of care for systems that don’t work.

Over identifying students.

Perception. We need to change the public perception of MPS. Focus on our successes and make sure the public has access to our stories of success.

Politics. There is a strong culture of corporate politics in our school district.

Programs are not implemented – time is not given to measure success.

Projects are never completed.

Racial and economic divide. The district is racially and economically divided. We have high poverty schools and schools with a free and reduced lunch rate of less than 30%. We have schools with 90% plus minority and schools with 50%+ white.

Reactive. District reactive rather than proactive.

Recruitment of teachers of color and with multiple languages and retention of teachers.

Search firm. Selection of superintendent doesn’t need a consultant since the decision is already made.

Silos and a lot of departments that don’t talk to each other.

Special education monitoring. Better job in monitoring special education programs.

Special education student identification.

Staffing. Need more teachers.

Student achievement. Until the curricula for PDPLCs, SOEI, AND PD (yes -- we need to get rid of Focused Instruction), are very clearly aligned to support a narrow, clear focus, student achievement is likely not to improve at an accelerated pace.

Support and staff development for bi-lingual staff.

Support for teachers to understand the specific culture within different schools.

System does not allow people to improve.

Turnover in special education – retaining of quality teachers in North Side Schools.

Weighted student funding does not work. Desired Characteristics

Bi-cultural.

Boots on the ground.

Champion for special education.

Committed to inner city schools.

Communicate to public.

Communicator. Ability to communicate clearly, openly, respectfully with all constituents and with media, and be a strong public "face" for our district.

Continuity of programs. Give things a chance to work before making changes.

Continuity. Continued support for the current initiatives.

Creates a positive working environment.

Data driven.

Decisive. One who can make decisions (judgment call) and stick with it.

Empathy for educators and the role they play.


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Engage with all communities.

Experience as a teacher (for at least 10 years) and as a principal (for at least 5+ years).

Experience. Someone who has been in my shoes.

Guide. Someone who asks, “What are you doing and how can I help?”

Honesty. Integrity. Approachable.

Human touch. Someone to put the human element back in the schools’ environment.

Independent thinker – strategic thinker.

Independent thinker who has actually been a teacher for a significant amount of time.

Intelligent, well-spoken individual to lead.

Interpersonal relationship skills. Effective interpersonal relationship skills

Knowledgeable of current initiatives. Knows and understands what is currently going on in the district.

Listener. Good listener.

Long term leadership...not creating new initiatives based on the buzz words of the week or what is working for other districts.

Non-broad trained.

Non-political.

Personable.

Pro-public education.

Professional development for staff.

Relationships. Forms strong, trusting, respectful relationships with all stakeholders, most especially district staff/teachers and parents.

School site understanding and how programs and initiatives work together.

Special education focus.

Support programs in place.

Teacher driven or at least a balance between teacher driven and top down.

Teaching & learning focus. Willing to oversee teaching and learning experience.

Team builder. This person should have the latitude to build an effective team of people.

Trust in-district staff as professionals.

Value diversity and meet the needs of a diverse population.

Values the workforce – collaborate with staff and students.

“We” approach. In the boat with us. We need someone who embraces the “we” approach and responsibility.

When I envision myself as a superintendent all I could see around me is failure and hence this leads to survival mode and it is not good for the school district, the schools, the principals, the teachers and the students. The result of this is chaos. Survival mode is so infectious that everyone winds up in a worst place than they were the day before.

minneapolis public schools leadership profile...

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