8/4/2019 MPS Board Letter

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September12,2011

ChairJillDavis

MinneapolisBoardofEducation

807N.E.BroadwaysStreet

Minneapolis,MN.55413

RE:Policy2405

DearBoardChairDavis,

TheAfricanAmericanLeadershipForumisdeeplycommittedtoclosingthe

achievementgapandimprovingpubliceducationforallstudents.TothatendourEducationandLifeLongLearningWorkGrouplooksforwardtoworkingwithyouin

thenearfuture.

TodaywewritewithconcernsabouttheproposedPolicy2405thatimpactsthe

superintendent’smanagerialprerogativewhencontractingandcompensatingher

leadershipteam.Weunderstandthecircumstancesbehindit,butthisappearstobe

apermanentreactiontoatemporarytensionbetweentheboardandthe

superintendent.Further,theproposedpolicyopensthedoortounproductive

micromanagement.WeseenoreasonthatMinneapolisPublicSchoolsshouldbetheonlydistrictinMinnesotawherethedistrict’sleaderisweakenedinthisway.

WeapplaudtheMPSforconductingthefirstcomprehensivecompensationstudyin

sincethe1980s.Healthyorganizationsstrivetodothisregularlytomaintainfair

workplaces.ItistroublingthatthestudyrevealedseriouspayinequitiesinMPS,butwesupportthesuperintendent’sdecisiontopromptlyaddresstheproblem.Thereis

nowrongtimetodotherightthing.Compensatingstaffequitablyisthemorally

right,riskadverse,andlegallyastutethingtodo.

SuperintendentJohnsonisaccountableforaddressinghigh-needschoolsand

assemblingateamofaccountableandtalentedstaffmemberstoimproveoutcomes.

Toaidherbestworkwepreferaboardthatsupportsthesuperintendentinpublic

anddisagreeswithherinprivate.Webelievethisisparticularlyimportantduringthesetimesofintensescrutinyontheeffectivenessoftheschoolsystem.Acohesive

leadershipteam,whichincludesthesuperintendentandtheboard,buildspublic

confidenceandisthehallmarkofahighperformingorganization.

Werespectfullyaskthatyoumovetotableconsiderationofpolicy2405.

Sincerely,

8/4/2019 MPS Board Letter

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ChrisStewart,Co-Chair

EducationWorkGroup

612.710.8552

Dr.SylviaBartley,Co-Chair

EducationWorkGroup

YvonneCheekBettyEmarita

BillEnglish

JanisLane-Ewart

LeaHargettEricMahmoud

CherylMayberry

Hon.DonSamuelsSondraSamuels

CarolynSmalllwood

ChandaSmith-Baker

Dr.BettyWebbT.Willams