Minnesota Coalition for Education Equity calls for smart investments to improve racial equity in education
For more information, contact:
Chris Williams
Education Minnesota
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)
Josh Keller
SEIU Minnesota State Council
612-270-2984 (cell)
Becky Dernbach
Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
612-246-3132 ext. 3 (work)
717-329-5092 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minn., April 4, 2016 – A group of faith, education, labor and community groups have formed the new Minnesota Coalition for Education Equity, which will present its legislative priorities at a news conference Tuesday morning at the Capitol.
The coalition will present policies intended to address the opportunity gaps faced by Minnesota's children of color. The coalition will lobby the Legislature to use the current budget surplus to invest in children, rather than spend it on tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy few.
The coalition's priorities include:
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Making high-quality, public preschool available to all Minnesota families.
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Expanding and supporting full-service, wrap-around community schools.
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Recruiting and retaining more teachers of color and indigenous teachers.
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Reducing the school-to-prison pipeline through additional support staff in schools.
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Relieving students of crippling higher education debt.
The Minnesota Coalition for Education Equity includes: The Coalition for Quality Public Schools, Education Minnesota's Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, ISAIAH, Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, Neighborhoods Organizing for Change, Navigate MN and Service Employees International Union Local 284.
What: Faith leaders, community organizers, students, parents and educators announce the creation of the Minnesota Coalition for Education Equity and present the coalition's 2016 legislative priorities.
When: 10:30 to 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 5
Where: State Office Building, Room 181
Who: Representatives of several coalition groups will give brief presentations. There will be time for questions and answers.
Tweets from the news conference will be sent with the hashtags #ChooseEdEquity and #EdEquity4MN