World’s Best Workforce Legislation (Section 120B.11 amended)
In accordance with Minnesota Statutes 2013, section 120B.11, a school board, at a public meeting, shall adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and learning that is aligned with creating the world’s best workforce (WBWF). Minnesota schools strive to provide the best educational opportunities for all children. Providing an education to Minnesota youth that leads to creating the world’s best workforce is a goal that must be addressed early on in every child’s life. Students are more likely to reach this goal if they are ready for school upon entering kindergarten; achieve grade level literacy by grade three; graduate from high school and attain career and college readiness. In order to create the world’s best workforce, it is imperative that academic achievement gaps are closed among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and not living in poverty as well as for English language learners and non-English language learners and for students who receive or do not receive special education. The comprehensive strategic plan that districts create is intended to serve as a foundational document to align educational initiatives that serve to ensure reaching intended student outcomes from pre-kindergarten to post high school graduation. Districts should consider and use existing plans, documents and strategies that may already be in place and/or are required by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), such as the Title I Plan, School Improvement Plans; School Readiness Program Plan; Local Literacy Plan; Student Transition Plan to College and Career Readiness; Plan for Educator Effectiveness, Q Comp, Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services, Continuous Improvement Monitoring Progress Plan, Integration Plan. This district level strategic plan should illustrate how the various existing district plans fit together and serve as a blueprint to create a quality workforce equipped with necessary skills for the 21st century.
“World’s Best Workforce” means striving to do the following:
- Have all students meet school readiness goals.
- Have all third grade students achieve grade-level literacy.
- Close the academic achievement gap among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and their more privileged peers.
- Have all students graduate from high school.
- Have all students attain college and career preparedness.
The School Board is to develop a plan to support and improve teaching and learning that is aligned to the World’s Best Workforce and includes the following:
- Clearly defined student achievement goals and benchmarks.
- Process to evaluate each student’s progress toward meeting the state and local academic standards.
- A system to review and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and curriculum.