Dear Lakeville Friends,
With the start of the legislative session quickly approaching, much of the discussion will center around tax relief and transportation. While I’m eager to get to work on those issues, it’s important to remember that session affords us another opportunity to assist our students around the state.
Recently, I was part of a bipartisan coalition of legislators from the House and Senate called the Economic Disparities Working Group. This group discussed ways our state could improve the racial and economic divide facing many Minnesotans. A common theme we discussed was increasing our educational opportunities for our disadvantaged students.
Just a couple weeks ago, I toured Cristo Rey Jesuit High School with other legislators, as well as Dr. Emily McDonald of Lakeville Area Public Schools. Visiting Cristo Rey was an eye-opening view of how choices and reform can benefit our students. The Cristo Rey approach demonstrates that if we innovate, great strides can be made to shrink the achievement gap and reduce economic disparities.
I was amazed to hear about Cristo Rey’s 100% success rate of graduate acceptance to a two or four-year university, vocational-based school, or entering the military. Their Corporate Work Study Program helps students gain critical skills in the workplace prior to graduation. Giving our students the skills to be successful in the workplace following graduation is an important pillar of Cristo Rey’s innovative approach.
In St. Paul, we need to search for educational reforms and increased choices to provide these kind of opportunities for students across the state. I appreciate Dr. Emily McDonald from Lakeville Area Public Schools for joining the tour. I am confident that the exchange of ideas shared will benefit our district students and programs.
When the Legislature reconvenes in March, we’ll continue to look for ways to innovate, reform, and improve our education system for our children. We can build on a successful 2015 session that saw changes to teacher licensure to attract a greater number of experienced educators to Minnesota, decreased standardized testing for more classroom learning, added $525 million in new E-12 funding, and provided more early education scholarships to help shrink the achievement gap. I’m proud of these reforms, and look forward to continuing to work for our schools.
Best,
Jon Koznick
State Representative
Lakeville, 58A