Carol A.

Swanson
Hamline University
Competency 5 Political Influence and Governance

5. Political Influence & Governance

a. Exhibit an understanding of school districts as a political system - including government
models
b. Demonstrate the ability to involve stakeholders in the development of education policy
c. Understand the role and coordination of social agencies and human services
d. Demonstrate the ability to align constituencies to support and build coalition for program and
finances

During the last year I have been fortunate to be on an influential board that has influence

on policy at the local and state level. The Regional Center of Excellence (RCE) Advisory Board

is the group whom inform the recommendations for the Regional Center work. Members give

feedback to the MDE Technical Team by brainstorming ideas, pushing the thinking, and

broadening perspectives to arrive at recommendations.

Serving on the RCE Board has helped me understand the broader issues that school

districts face each day. The board is representative of superintendents, school board members,

principals, teachers, regional staff, parents, union representatives and parents. The board meets

four times a year to give feedback and direction to the technical team to help improve the efforts

of the centers.

Regional Centers of Excellence:

Work with priority and focus schools, as well as those who receive SIG funds.

Are designed to provide a coherent system of support, this includes differentiation of support.

Provided differentiated support (difference in the intensity of support provided depending on

school identification.) For example, continuous improvement schools typically receive less
intense support than priority and focus schools.

The work is done through six regional centers, with the role of school advocates constituting
a key part of the model.

The approach is interdisciplinary, carried out by various subject specialists.

Carol A. Swanson
Hamline University
Competency 5 Political Influence and Governance

There are three phases of the work.

o Phase I, a 3-year cycle, is the active implementation process using continuous

improvement models.

o Phase II is standards-based and culturally responsive, data is also employed to aid

instructional decision making.

o Phase III focuses on individual teacher support, thus bringing the work into the
classroom.

The RCE Board has approved a communication protocol between MDE, RCE, and

stakeholders, approved the RCE Theory of Action, and participates in RCE Program Evaluation

yearly. This board will also represent the RCEs in the completion of the new Every Student

Succeeds Act (ESSA), which passed in federal law in 2016. Implementation of the new law will

begin in the Fall of 2017. The RCE Board will have an integral voice in how the laws of ESSA

are to be implemented in Minnesota.

School districts in Minnesota are affected by the legislature both at the state and federal level.

State lawmakers in Minnesota just passed a bill to increase funding to all Minnesota school

districts. Because districts must rely on legislature to pass funding bills that are most often not

enough to fund all the necessary costs of education, it is important that school districts keep

community stakeholders and the school board very aware of needs of the district and schools.

Most districts get additional funding sources for their schools through levy and bond

referendums. This extra funding has to be voter approved. This may sometimes put district

administrative staff in the position of selling a tax increase to voters. Many communities have

had to make difficult choices in their budget by cutting programs and student support measures

when referendums fail.

Carol A. Swanson
Hamline University
Competency 5 Political Influence and Governance

Schools who are creative, can use community resources to help their students and families.

During my main field site experience, Jefferson Elementary became a Community School by

writing and receiving a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education. The grant was

specific to the beginning of a community school but it is not fully funded by the grant. The

school has reached out to local organizations who donate their time to provide resources to

families in the community. Health and dental clinics, a food shelf, clothing drives as well as

parenting classes have been implemented this year. The school hopes to grow this program in

the next years by getting more partnerships with area businesses. I was fortunate that I was able

attend two tours with the leadership team to see how Rochester schools implement their own

community school model.

Keeping good relationships with the community is a must for school leaders. As an

Advocate for the RCEs, I have been able to create relationships with school leaders at all levels

of the school community, as well as parents that serve on leadership teams and school board

members. Schools must create a space in a school or district for feedback on a regular basis to

be aware of what the families and community really want or need from their schools. This

important feedback loop cannot be taken for granted, and as a school leader I understand the

importance of making sure that the lines of communication are really open and honest.