Sep 9, 2019

Insubstantial Academic Qualifications are Endemic to Those Ironically Making Major Academic Decisions at the Minneapolis Public Schools : Note Lightweight Training of Superintendent Ed Graff, Deputy Chief of Academics Cecilia Saddler, Teaching and Learning Executive Director Aimee Fearing, and Associate Superintendents Shawn Harris-Berry, Lashawn Ray, Carla Steinbach-Huther, Ron Wagner, and Brian Zambreno


Among the many observations that I record in my book, Understanding the Minneapolis Public Schools:  Current Condition, future Prospect is that key academic decision-makers at the school district are intellectual lightweights.

 

Consider the credentials of Superintendent Ed Graff:

Ed Graff               (Superintendent)

 

Degrees Earned                                                                Institution at at Which Degree Was Earned

 

M. A., Education Administration                    University of Southern Mississippi

             (online degree)

B. A., Elementary Education                            University of Alaska, Anchorage

Other Credentials

Professional Licensures

DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL ADMIN DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

DISTRICT  PROFESSIONAL ADMIN PRINCIPAL K-12

Although for many months the district posted an opening for a chief of academics, Graff decided over the course of summer 2019 to assume that role himself.  Cecilia Saddle, Deputy Chief of Academics (her fully verbose title is Deputy Chief of Academics, Leadership, and Learning) has long since been passed over for that position.

 

Saddler’s own credentials are as follows: 

 

Cecilia Saddler  (Deputy Chief of Academics, Leadership, and Learning)

 

Degrees Earned                                                                Institution at Which Degree Was Earned

 

M. A., Teaching                                                                                University of Iowa

                                        

B.A. English                                                                        University of Iowa

 

Saddler does, then, hold a bachelor’s degree in English, but her masters is in education;  she has also for some time been working on her doctorate in education, so that she has no advanced training in a key subject area (mathematics, natural science [biology, chemistry, physics], history, social sciences, or English [literature and usage]).

 

Over the summer,  the position of Executive Director of  Department of Teaching and Learning was bestowed upon Aimee Fearing.  This was another affront to Saddler, who had assumed leadership of that department as deputy chief of academics.

 

Fearing’s credentials are as follows.

 

Academic Credentials for Aimee Fearing

Minneapolis Public Schools

 

Executive Director, Teaching and Learning

 

Degrees Earned          Field in Which               Institution at Which             

         Degree Was Earned      Degree Was Earned

 

Bachelors Degree       ESL Education                University of Northwestern

 

13 May 2000

 

Masters Degree          Education                         Hamline University

 

23 May 2003

 

Doctorate Degree       Education                       Hamline University

 

30 April 2015

 

Other Credentials

 

Professional Licensures

 

K-12 Principal Licensure

 

Expiration, 30 June 2023

 

K-12 ESL Licensure

 

Expiration, 30 June 2023

 

5-12 Communication Arts Licensure

 

Expiration, 30 June 2023

 

So these top Davis Center officials responsible for academic decision-making have lightweight academic training.  Degrees in departments, schools, and colleges of education are insubstantial.  No one at the Davis Center has an advanced degree in any discipline central to the academic program of the Minneapolis Public Schools---   no advanced degrees in mathematics, natural science, English, history, or the social sciences.  Note that the ACT college readiness assessment includes exams in writing, English, reading, mathematics, and science reading.  None of the academic decision-makers has demonstrated ability to succeed in a graduate level program that would prepare students at advanced levels in these ACT areas of focus.  Very few even have pertinent bachelor’s degrees.  They are academic lightweights.

 

This sort of training pertains also to the associate superintendents, who are responsible for mentoring site principals and other school staff.

 

Perpend:    

 

Academic Credentials for Shawn Harris-Berry

Minneapolis Public Schools Associate Superintendent

 

Degrees Earned                               Field in Which                             Institution at Which

               Degree Was Earned                Degree Was Earned

 

Bachelors Degree (1985)              Business Education                     University of Wisconsin--- Eau Claire Masters            (1995)             Secondary School                        University of St. Thomas

Administration             

Doctorate Degree (2005)             Educational Leadership               St. Mary’s University                    

 

Other Credentials

 

Teaching License – Business Education (7-12)  expires 6/30/2020

Administrative License – District Superintendent expires 6/30/2020

Administrative License – K-12 Principal expires 6/30/2020

Administrative License – Secondary School Principal expires 6/30/2020

 

Academic Credentials for LaShawn Ray

Minneapolis Public Schools Associate Superintendent

 

Degrees Earned                                 Field in Which                      Institution at Which

                  Degree Was Earned       Degree Was Earned

 

Bachelors Degree (1994)                 Social Sciences                     University of Wisconsin – River Falls

Master’s Degree (year 2006)          Education                              St. Cloud State University

Superintendent’s (2018)                                                                  Minnesota State Mankato

 

Other Credentials

 

Teaching License – EBD (K-12) expires 6/30/2023

Administrative License – K-12 Principal expires 6/30/2023

Superintendent – 6/30/2023      

 

Carla Steinbach-Huther                                (Associate Superintendent)

 

Degrees Earned                                                                Institution at Which Degree Was Earned

 

Education Specialist Degree                                       University of St. Thomas

 

M.A., Curriculum and Instruction                             University of St. Thomas

 

B.A. or B.S., Sociology                                                    University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse

                                               

Licensures:        

 

Social Studies

District Superintendent

Secondary Principal

 

Ron Wagner       (Associate Superintendent)

 

Degrees Earned                                                                Institution at Which Degree Was Earned

 

Education Specialist Degree                                       University of St. Thomas

 

M.A., Education                                                               Ball State University

 

B.A. or B.S., Education                                                   Ball State University

 

Licensures:        

 

Elementary Education

English/ Language Arts

Mathematics

District Superintendent

K-12 Principal

 

Brian Zambreno

Degrees Earned                                                                Institution at Which Degree Was Earned

Doctorate (PhD), Education                        St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

Education Specialist Degree                       University of St. Thomas

M.A., Education                                               Hamline University

B.A. or B.S., Liberal Arts                                University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Licensures:

 

District Superintendent

K-12 Principal

English as Second Language

There is not one scholar among the associate superintendents, the pattern observed also for the chief decision-makers who spend their time mostly at the Davis Center;  the associate superintendents purportedly spend their days rambling around to their schools of responsibility, but they are on the list of Davis Center staff.

 

Why do many more than half of students at the Minneapolis Public Schools languish below grade level in reading, mathematics, and science?

 

Why do seventy-five percent (75%) of impoverished students so languish?

 

Why is subject area knowledge so abysmal, so that even those students who manage to graduate walk across the stage to claim a piece of paper that is a diploma in name only?

 

This is because curriculum is weak, teachers are at best mediocre, and there is not one scholar among the academic decision-makers.

 

Sometimes single critical lines get lost among those distracted or by those who are overwhelmed with the enormity of such bad news.

 

So let me repeat, then behold what this means and the cleaning of house that we must do:

 

Half of students at the Minneapolis Public Schools languish below grade level in reading, mathematics, and science.

 

Seventy-five percent (75%) of impoverished students so languish.

 

Student subject area knowledge is abysmal, so that students who manage to graduate walk across the stage to claim a piece of paper that is a diploma in name only.

 

This is because curriculum is weak, teachers are at best mediocre, and

 

there is not one scholar among the academic decision-makers at the Davis Center of the Minneapolis Public Schools.

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