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Charter schools in Minnesota, especially those with large minority populations in the Twin Cities, need further research to understand these unique challenges. Charter schools are instrumental in providing educational opportunities for underserved communities; however, too often, they operate on shoestring budgets, sometimes with lax oversight.

The Minnesota Department of Education grant for the Charter School Board Governance Research Study and Development Project for Federal Fiscal Year 2025 provides a unique opportunity to review the practices in place regarding governance. This will be of great value in understanding how board governance contributes to school performance, especially in schools where the population includes a high minority percentage. Governance directly correlates with success or failure in schools, and by studying these practices, the strengths and weaknesses within the system can be identified. The study will also identify best practices that can then be duplicated in other charter schools, creating an environment that is not just equitable but of quality for all students attending school.

Findings from this study could inform the development of strategies for policymakers, educators, and community leaders as they work to address charter school governance in ways that best serve their very diverse student populations. This research will ultimately contribute to the ongoing effort to close the achievement gap and advance educational equity throughout Minnesota and will be key to the next step in the future of education in Minnesota.

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I am excited to present a possible partnership for the MDE 'Charter School Board Governance Research Study and Development Project' for Federal Fiscal Year 2025. This would be a collaboration between Research for Action (RFA) and Hamline University, which aims to enhance charter school governance in Minnesota.

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Philadelphia-based RFA brings extensive experience in education research and policy analysis. Their expertise in charter school governance studies will be invaluable to this project.

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Research for Action - A nonprofit education research organization - Research for Action

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Research for Action is a nonprofit education research organization. We use field-driven insights to improve equity & outcomes for underserved students.

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Hamline University School of Leadership and Education

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Hamline University School of Leadership and Education

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Hamline University, located in Saint Paul, MN, offers local expertise and a deep understanding of Minnesota's educational landscape. Their involvement ensures the research is tailored to state-specific needs.

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The region's leader in teacher preparation

Become a teacher who shapes the world. At Hamline, you'll grow from an educator into a practitioner, researcher, and leader-advocate. We guide you on your professional journey, whether you're earning a first or additional teaching license, a certificate, a master's, or a doctorate.

Our innovative curriculum prepares you to engage learners in different contexts and communities with a rich understanding of the various systems that affect your practice. You'll graduate primed to shape a more equitable, sustainable world from your first day with your students.

When you enroll in the School of Education and Leadership, not only do you join a network of thousands of education practitioners in K-12 schools, higher education, and other educational organizations in the region, but you also join a school known for its excellence in teacher preparation and continuing education. That reputation is born out in our graduates, who, each year, line the list of Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalists and are consistently named Minnesota's top educator. Awardees include:

2015 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Amy Hewett-Olatunde MAEd '02, EdD '15

2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Abdul Wright MAEd '16

2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Jessica Davis MAT '09

2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Michael Houston MAEd '11

Graduate program offerings

Undergraduate program offerings

Centers and partnerships

The School of Education and Leadership not only provides a wide array of undergraduate and graduate program offerings. It is a leader in the field of education with partnerships, collaborations, and academic centers at the forefront of innovation in education.

Our partners include:

Historic collaboration with Hamline Elementary

Hamline University and Hamline Elementary School have been working together for more than 100 years to change education and lives. In 1991, the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration formalized its work and became the first university-elementary partnership of its kind.

Hamline University students actively participate in academic, athletic, and relational learning experiences in a public elementary school environment. This one-of-a-kind experience creates meaningful opportunities for learning, reflection, and growth for everyone involved. Our collaborative lab school partnership centers on six primary programs:

Academic tutoring

Academic and athletic pairings

Hand in Hand mentorship program

Snelling Connection writing and communications program

Guided practicum teaching clinicals

Fellowships

Get more Info on Hamline to Hamline Collaboration

Centers

Adult Basic Education Teaching and Learning Advancement System

The Adult Basic Education Teaching and Learning Advancement System (ATLAS) provides resources and professional development to advance adult education throughout Minnesota.

Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching

The Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching (CEUT) was created to train and support teachers in applying proven culturally relevant pedagogical practices in urban and urban-like schools to promote increased educational success for all youth in Minnesota.

Center for Global Environmental Education

The Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) fosters environmental literacy and stewardship in citizens of all ages and is a resource for inspired learning and educational tools and technology.

School of Education and Leadership in the news

Carlson, Moroz, Harvey Present

Dr. Jennifer Carlson, Dr. Karen Moroz, and Dr. Trish Harvey of the Hamline School of Education and Leadership presented Establishing Social Presence in Online Courses: Why and How! at the MnLC 2024 Learning & Technology Summit.

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The Hamline School of Education and Leadership offers undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs, as well as a licensure program for aspiring K-12 teachers.

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From what I've read, the study aims to analyze current charter school board governance practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop evidence-based recommendations to enhance board effectiveness and student outcomes.

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The grant tells me that a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and case studies of Minnesota charter schools. This comprehensive strategy will provide both breadth and depth to our findings.

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The project will span the 2025 fiscal year+, with key milestones including data collection (Q1-Q2), analysis (Q2-Q3), and report development and dissemination (Q3-Q4).

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Minnesota has over 160 charter schools serving approximately 63,000 students. This research will directly impact these schools by providing actionable insights to improve board governance, potentially leading to enhanced student achievement and school performance.

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By combining RFA's national expertise with Hamline's local knowledge, our partnership ensures a comprehensive, context-sensitive approach. This collaboration will yield more robust and applicable findings for Minnesota's charter school landscape.

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The outcomes of this study will not only benefit charter schools but also contribute to the broader education policy discourse in Minnesota. It has the potential to inform future legislation and best practices in school governance across all public schools.

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https://www.researchforaction.org/

Research for Action is a nonprofit education research organization. We use field-driven insights to advance equity in opportunities and outcomes for underserved students and their families along the early childhood to postsecondary education pipeline.

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Leana Cabral, Senior Research Associate

(267) 295-7780

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Dr. Siettah Parks, Research Associate

(267) 4408995

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Jinger A. Gustafson, Ed.D

Professor of Practice/Director of Administrative Licensure Program

Hamline School  of Education and Leadership

1536 Hewitt Avenue (MS-A1720)

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104

O: 651.523.2928 | M: 612.817.4369 | E: jgustafson17@hamline.edu

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Charter School Board Governance Research Study and Development Project Federal Fiscal Year 2025

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) makes funding available to a qualified external entity to complete the identified scope of work for the purpose of developing and implementing a board governance research study and development project to conduct a research study and analysis of charter school board governance in Minnesota to identify root cause(s) of persistent governance issues.

The entity will develop a report with recommendations which may include legislative recommendations. The report will be shared with the Minnesota charter sector broadly, including MDE, charter schools, authorizers, and charter school advocacy organizations, and will allow Minnesota charter stakeholder to co-develop a statewide plan in response to the recommendations.

CFDA 84.282A

Due Date: September 6, 2024

Total amount available: The maximum three-year grant award may not exceed $450,000 ($150,000 per year).

Submit all required materials to mde.compgrants@state.mn.us

Timeline

Question and Answer period closes: August 21, 2024

Completed applications due: September 6, 2024

Anticipated date of grantee announcement: October 2024

Required Grant Documentation

All documentation below is required for a complete grant. A complete application submission will include the Coversheet, Assurances, Application Narrative as one document, and the Excel Budget along with any other documentation that is requested in the Instruction Document.

Instruction Document

This document contains all the information you will need to complete this grant application, including our criteria for the grant, how to apply, and the selection process.

Grant Coversheet, Assurances, and Application Narrative

This is the official coversheet, assurances and application narrative. Please download and complete all fields.

Budget

You must complete the budget document and submit it to us in Excel format.

Additional Required Documents

Applicants must submit evidence of submission of the most recent year’s federal tax filing. Include this as an attachment in the submission email.

Rubric

Review the rubric for information on how the narrative questions will be scored.

Questions and Answers

If you have any questions about this grant, please contact the program specialist Rhianon Sargent, Federal Charter Schools Program Grants Manager, at rhianon.sargent@state.mn.us or 651-582-8759. Questions may only be answered by this person. All questions must be submitted by August 21, 2024. We will publish a list of all the questions that we received after August 26, 2024.

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The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) makes funding available to a qualified external entity to complete the identified scope of work for the purpose of developing and implementing a board governance research study and development project to conduct a research study and analysis of charter school board governance in Minnesota to identify root cause(s) of persistent governance issues.