Walz, Flanagan Launch ‘Due North’ Education Plan for Minnesota Schools, Students

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(KNSI) – After nearly a year of changes and disruptions in education brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan introduced the Due North Education Plan. The plan aims to support schools and students, especially in Greater Minnesota and underserved communities, throughout and after the pandemic.

“As a former classroom teacher for over 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand how a high-quality education shapes students’ lives for years to come,” Walz said. “The Due North Education Plan guides us toward a future where every child receives a high-quality education, no matter their race or zip code.”

The agenda, announced Monday, will involve several priorities:

Meet the Needs of Students During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Every Student Receives a World-Class Education
Every Student Learns in a Safe and Nurturing Environment
Every Student Learns in a Classroom with Caring and Qualified Teachers
Expand Access to Opportunities for Students of Color and Indigenous Students
Expand Access to Opportunities for Students in Greater Minnesota
Fund a 21st Century Education

To the first priority point, the Due North Plan says the state’s approach will include expanding students’ opportunities for academic and mental health services this summer and into the 2021-2022 school year.

For teachers, the plan specifies the creation of a statewide mentorship program as well as other programs to recruit and support Indigenous teachers and educators of color.

Schools’ funding will be a key piece of the Due North Plan.

“At the heart of the state’s role in education is, of course, funding,” Flanagan said. “Minnesota has a long history of working to equalize education funding so that your zip code doesn’t determine your trajectory or the opportunities that you have. But as school districts start increasingly to rely on tax levies to fund operations and necessary programs, it was clear that we needed to update our model.”

When asked about how Minnesota will put the plan’s goals into effect, Walz said he is conscious of his executive power use during COVID-19 and the tension it has poised between himself and the Legislature.

“It’s our intention to do as much as we can with the help of our partners to put into place,” Walz said.

“The Minnesota Department of Education also released our strategic plan … and in that is more of a roadmap with some of the “hows” that we are going to be able to do this,” deputy education commissioner Heather Mueller explained further.

One piece of the plan already set in motion, Mueller said, is establishing an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Center within the Minnesota Department of Education.

“As a matter of fact, we’ve interviewed for the director position last week, we’re doing reference checks and hopefully we’ll be able to hire that person within the next couple of weeks,” Mueller said. “We are already doing that work.”