Advocating for Education Equity: Strategies and Opportunities for Great Expectations

Abstract

Minnesota’s educational disparities are well-documented. In recent years, the state’s sizable gaps in academic achievement have generated increasing attention as the state grapples with racial and ethnic disparities across a range of socio-economic outcomes. While Minnesota is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States, Minnesotans of color, and Black Minnesotans in particular, lag behind their white neighbors in employment rates, wage and household income levels, levels of home ownership, and levels of educational attainment. This report provides the Great Expectations (GE) initiative with an overview of the most salient issues being debated at the state level around educational disparities and inequities in Minnesota. This report also provides empirical evidence supporting specific policy interventions, investments, and advocacy efforts in key areas that are relevant to disparities present in the GE service area.