Lack of Scholars Among Those with Academic Decision-Making Responsibility Largely Explains Abominable Educational Quality at the Minneapolis Public Schools
No one
with academic decision-making responsibility at the Minneapolis Public Schools
is a scholar with superior subject area training.
Those
with backgrounds as elementary school teachers have no subject area training at
all; no such training is provided in the
bachelor’s of education degree programs or at any graduate level: The major in elementary education is the
least academically substantial on any college or university campus.
Those
with backgrounds in secondary education may receive their degrees in legitimate
field-specific departments (physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography,
political science, economics, English or world literature, or the musical or
visual arts). But any graduate training
that they receive is almost always in academically insubstantial programs in
departments, colleges, and schools of educations.
This
means that there is no one with academic decision-making responsibility that
has any experience acquiring abundant knowledge sets in major subject areas and
is unlikely in the extreme to comprehend how to design and implement the
provision of knowledge-intensive curriculum to students.
Consider
the academic credentials of the
following academic decisionmakers at the Minneapolis Public Schools:
Superintendent
Lisa Sayles-Adams and Those in Senior Leadership
Lisa
Sayles-Adams
Superintendent
Ed, D., Educational
Leadership (2022)
Minnesota State
University/Mankato
M.A., Curriculum and
Instruction (2002)
University of
Minnesota/Twin Cities
B.A. Political
Science (1992)
University of
Minnesota/Twin Cities
Ty Thompson
Deputy Superintendent
Academic Degree/Credential
M. E.D., Leadership in
Education
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities University, 2013)
Elementary Education
Licensure
(California State
University/Dominguez Hills, 2003-2004)
B. A.
(Occidental College, 1999-2003)
Associate
Superintendents
Shawn Harris-Berry
Academic Degree/Credential
Ed. D. Educational Leadership
(St. Mary’s University, 2005)
M. Ed., Secondary School
Administration
(St. Thomas
University, 1995)
M.Ed., Educational Leadership
& Administration
(Northern Arizona University,
2007-2010)
B. A.. Business Education
(University of Wisconsin/Eau
Claire, 1985)
Yusuf Abdullah
Academic Degree/Credential
M. Ed., Urban Education &
Leadership/Secondary School Administration
(University of Minnesota/Duluth, 1999-2006)
Bachelor of Applied Science,
Health & Physical Education/Fitness
(University of Minnesota/Duluth, 1994-1999)
Lametria Eaddy
Academic Degree/Credential
Ph. D., Educational Leadership & Administration, General
(Western Michigan University, 2019)
M.A. Curriculum & Instruction
(Saginaw Valley State University, 2006-2009)
B.A., English
(Howard University, 1993-1996)
Liz Keenan
Academic Degree/Credential
Ph. D., Educational Leadership, General
(Marian University of Fond du Lac, August 2006-May 2013)
M.Ed., Special Education Director
(St. Cloud State University, September 1997-2000)
Academic Core &
Instruction Staff
Maria Rollinger,
Executive Director
M.Ed., Educational Leadership
& Administration
(Hamline University, August
1998-May 2001
Sizi Goya, Director Math
and Sciences
M. A., Education
(Augsburg University, 2016-2020)
B.S., Mathematics
(Texas A&M University,
2001-2005)
………………………………………………………………………
Anna Baumann Smith,
Social Studies Content Lead
M.Ed.., English/Language Arts
Teacher Education
(2013-2015)
B.A., Women’s Studies
(Warren Wilson College,
2001-2005)
Casey Strecker, College
Programs Content Lead
Education Specialist Degree,
(Concordia University/St. Paul,
2014-2020)
M.Ed., Educational Leadership
& Administration, General
(Concordia University/St. Paul,
2012-2014)
B.A., Secondary Education &
Teaching
(University of
Wisconsin/Madison, 2004-2009)
Jessica Rose, K-5
Literacy Content Lead
M. A., Education Curriculum
(University of
Illinois/Urbana-Champaign, 1989-1991)
B. A., Religious Studies
(St. Olaf College, 1985-1989)
Julie Ripplinger,
Literacy K-5 Content Lead
Reading Specialist Certification
(California State
University/East Bay, 2013-2014)
B. S., Elementary Education
& Teaching
(Minnesota State
University/Moorehead, 2013-2014)
Lori Ledoux, Arts
Content Lead
Education Specialist Degree
(Minnesota State
University/Mankato)
M.A.
B.A., Dance
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities)
Mandy Bellm, K-12
Library/Media Content Lead
Education Specialist Degree,
K-12 Principal
(Minnesota State
University/Mankato, May 2022-December 2023)
Marie Olson, K-5
Literacy Intervention Content Lead
M.Ed.
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities, 1998-2003)
B. S., Elementary Education, 5-8
Math
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities, 2002)
Robert Kohnert,
Concurrent Enrollment
Ed.D., Educational Leadership
& Administration, General
(Minnesota State
University/Mankato, July 2020-September 2021)
M.A., American History
(Pace University, 2019-2021))
M.Ed.., Social Studies Teacher
Education
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities, 2008-2009)
B.A., History
(University of Minnesota/Twin
Cities, 2004-2008)
Robert Kohnert is the only
academic decision-maker of all of those given above who has a graduate degree
in a major subject area (American history);
but in seeking a doctorate, he indicted no passion for history studied
at the highest levels Kohnert opted to
seek the academically insubstantial eduction doctorate (Ed.D.).
Otherwise, the list above is
devoid of those with graduate degrees in major academic areas.
This lack of scholars who can
appreciate, comprehend, and implement knowledge-intensive curriculum is the key
vexation inhibiting the attainment of educational quality in the Minneapolis
Public Schools specifically and public education generally.
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