By: Jen Stern
I’m often asked: Why aren’t our schools doing dramatically better?
The Ciresi Walburn Foundation recently ran billboards that highlighted the findings of this study, that shared how states like Mississippi are making strong gains in reading while MN declines.
But I know that this isn’t the case for all schools and doesn’t have to be the norm. Right now, Great MN Schools partners with eight school networks serving over 5,000 students and every single school in our portfolio outperforms other district options, delivering stronger outcomes for kids.
Our approach is getting results – working to both increase the number of high-quality schools in Minneapolis and address the enabling conditions that surround schools.
At this year’s Annual Meeting, we heard from Doug McCurry, co-founder of Achievement First, one of the highest-performing charter networks in the country, who knows firsthand that school and student success isn’t magic. Instead it is the consistent execution of proven practices. Practices that the Great MN Schools school improvement approach was built upon.
While the work we do with schools can feel complicated, Doug distilled it to its essence – When leaders consistently coach teachers, teachers get better. And when teachers consistently deliver strong instruction, paired with quality curriculum, student learning accelerates.
So what does great teaching look like?
Strong Classroom Environment: Students are on task. The tone is enthusiastic and positive. There’s a sense of purpose and momentum in the room.
Real Rigor: Students spend the entire lesson working on grade-level content – not watered-down substitutes. The bulk of class time focuses on the meatiest, most important content, with students spending at least a third of each class working independently.
Actionable Feedback: Students know what great work looks like and are given specific feedback on how their work meets the criteria for success.
Students do the Thinking: Students should be doing more than 75% of the thinking and work in class, not the teacher.
How do we get there?
Focus relentlessly on teacher development through observation, coaching, practice, and support – all built on a strong foundation that removes barriers to great teaching.
The right people: Strong teachers and leaders, with clear processes to recruit and retain high performers.
The right tools: High-quality, easy-to-use curriculum for phonics, reading, math, and science, plus strategic use of technology.
The right systems: Clear, consistent expectations for attendance and behavior across the whole school, with strong operational foundations in place before students arrive.
We’re seeing this in action. At New Millennium Academy teachers receive consistent classroom observations and real-time coaching. The results are striking: students are doing more rigorous work, and middle school students now read independently for 50 minutes every day.
What does Minnesota Need to Do?
Raise our collective expectations about student achievement. The opportunity gaps in Minnesota haven’t just persisted – they’ve been normalized. We’ve become numb to the data. That has to stop.
Focus relentlessly on the quality of teaching and learning. It isn’t the only thing that matters, but it is the main thing.
Align coaching, feedback and accountability. These can’t be separate initiatives – they must work together toward a clear definition of excellent teaching.
Invest in leaders. Nothing improves without strong principals and instructional leaders who know what great teaching looks like and can develop it in their teachers.
There is nothing wrong with our kids. When students attend schools with strong practices, they achieve at high levels. At Great MN Schools, we’re committed to this work – remaining focused on what actually drives results in order to do right by every student in Minneapolis.
