Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff Should Resign or Hire a Scholar as MPS Chief of Academics

Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Ed Graff has demonstrated talent as an administrator, winnowing the Davis Center (MPS central offices, 1250 West Broadway) bureaucracy from approximately 650 to 450 staff members and supporting the brilliant work of Chief of Finance Ibrahima Diop in developing a structurally balanced budget.

 

Graff, though, is an academic lightweight whose only advanced training is evidenced in an online degree in educational administration from a lower-tier institution, the University of Southern Mississippi.  He has no credentials and an absence of demonstrable interest in the subject areas of mathematics, natural science (biology, chemistry, physics), history, social sciences, or English (literature and usage) that are at the core of any legitimate PreK-12 program.

 

Cecilia Saddler (Deputy Chief of Academics, Leadership, and Learning) and new Department of Teaching and Learning Executive Director Aimee Fearing likewise do not have advanced training in any key academic subject area.

 

Graff has achieved administrative and financial successes during his July 2016 to August 2019 tenure to date at the Minneapolis Public Schools.  He should at this point resign and make way for a scholar occupant of the superintendent position, or hire a genuine academician as Chief of Academics.

 

Below you can view Graff’s meager academic credentials and his record of failure in the most important are of student achievement in both Anchorage (Alaska) and Minneapolis: 

 

Academic and Professional Credentials

For MPS Superintendent Ed Graff

 

Ed Graff               (MPS Superintendent)

 

Degrees Earned                                Institution at Which

Degree Was Earned

 

M. A., Education              University of Southern Mississippi

Administration                

 

This M.A. in Education Administration from University of Southern Mississippi is

an online degree.

 

B. A., Elementary             University of Alaska, Anchorage

Education                                           

 

Brief Summary of Achievement Levels during Ed Graff’s

Tenure as Superintendent in Anchorage, Alaska

 

Results for Academic Year 2014-2015

 

All Grade Levels

 

Language Arts

 

                        Does Not    Partially      Meets       Exceeds

                        Meet               Meets      Standard  Standard

                        Standard     Standard

 

Student

Categories

 

African                 35.1%         42.1%        20.5%             2.3%

American

 

White/                 13.3%         33.7%      44.3%               8.5%

Caucasian

 

Hispanic               28.3%         42.3%       26.9%              2.5%

 

 

Alaska                   42.4%         37.5%         18.1%             1.9%

Native

American/

American

Indian

 

All Grade Levels

 

Mathematics

 

 

Student

Categories

 

African                 29.5%        51.3.%      16.9%      2.3%

American

 

White/                 12.9%         39.7%        36.5%   10.9%

Caucasian

 

Hispanic               23.4%         50.9%        21.8%     3.9%

 

Alaska                   29.0%         50.3%        18.2%     2.5%

Native

American/

American

Indian

 

MPS Academic Proficiency Rates for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, & 2018

 

Math                     2014       2015       2016      2017      2018

 

African                  23%       19%         19%      16%       17%

American

 

American             23%        19%           19%       16%        17%

Indian

 

Hispanic               31%         32%          31%       29%        26%

 

Asian                     48%         50%          50%       44%        46%

 

White                   77%         78%          78%       77%        77%

 

Free/                     26%         26%          25%       24%        22%

Reduced

 

All                          44%         44%           44%     42%        42%

 

Reading               2014       2015       2016      2017      2018

 

African                 22%       21%         21%      21%       21%

American

 

American             21%        20%           21%       22%        23%

Indian

 

Hispanic               23%         25%          26%       26%        27%

 

Asian                     41%         40%          45%       38%        44%

 

White                   78%         77%          77%       78%        80%

 

Free/                     23%         23%          23%       25%        25%

Reduced

 

All                          42%         42%           43%     43%        45%

 

Science                2014       2015       2016      2017      2018

 

African                  11%       15%         13%      11%       10%

American

 

American             14%        16%           13%       16%        13%

Indian

 

Hispanic               17%         18%          21%       19%        17%

 

Asian                     31%         35%          42%       31%        34%

 

White                   71%         75%          71%       70%        71%

 

Free/                     14%         15%          17%       16%        15%

Reduced

 

All                          33%         36%           35%     34%        34%