School Improvement
We support schools that serve low-income communities in developing and implementing plans that will take them from good to great.
Growing great schools
Great schools are EXCELLENT – where all students learn, grow, and achieve meaningful academic outcomes – and EQUITABLE – where all students are supported and get what they need to thrive.
How we grow the supply of great schools
Working in partnership with school communities, we make vital investments in schools, providing the expert guidance, funding, and resources necessary to grow and succeed. Based on well documented best practices, we explore and identify individualized solutions that reflect the schools’ unique strengths and differences, while centering on students and their learning.
Good to Great Process
Each school in our portfolio starts with a comprehensive school quality review that leads to the development of a customized Good to Great Success Plan which identifies goals and priorities over a three-year timeline. We provide funding and guidance throughout the process which includes strategic interventions that builds and strengthens leadership capacity at the instructional, operational, and governance levels.
Leadership Accelerator
The Leadership Accelerator brings the most effective and scalable parts of our Good to Great work to a larger community of schools. It is a cohort model anchored in an 18-month, three-phase diagnostic review process, intensive planning, and initial implementation. To ensure the implementation of the plan, schools receive access to strategic interventions proven to be most impactful.
Schools are eligible to be considered for investment if they serve a significant number of Minneapolis students, a student population that’s greater than 40% free and reduced lunch (FRL) and have shown evidence that they are on the right track toward closing the opportunity gap for two of the last three years. (ex: outperformed the Minneapolis district average on MCA or ACT proficiency).
Our schools continue to outperform other options in Minneapolis.
The achievement gap in Minneapolis is pervasive, but schools working with us are a step in the right direction.
86%
of portfolio schools outperform Minneapolis for low-income students
71%
of portfolio schools outperform Minneapolis for Black, Indigenous, students of color
Northeast College Prep
Looking for support?
Contact Great Minnesota Schools to get in touch with a Portfolio Director.