It's 8am on a Saturday so we're where any normal person would want to be: at an MPS Board Retreat presentation of a school boundary study. Stay tuned for updates!

Supt Graf makes the critical point that what we're looking at today is a STUDY, it is NOT a proposal.

The boundary study looks at what the impact would be at a baseline of all kids in K-5 or K-8 community schools. From there, we can then look at impacts of magnets, other integration efforts.

Graf calls out that students in Mpls are still receiving inequitable educations based on race and zip code. He acknowledges that the system is producing the results it's designed to, and only big systemic change can fix it.

The study is being presented by Eric Moore and Karen Devet, senior staff at MPS

Kerry Jo Felder, before staff can start, says that we should not be focusing on integration. She says the public does not want integration, they want strong programming. We should talk about programming, not integration.

Don't worry, @kyrrarankine is here and will be on too. She's doing the internet access gymnastics required at MPS, where twitter is blocked on their public wi fi

Moore says the study addressed several questions: Does a community school model have a positive impact on desegregation? How can shifting attendance areas impact EDIA recommendations regarding placement protocols?

Davet says they contracted with EduLog (?), a vendor who has their transportation data, to try to build boundaries that improve efficiencies

In phase 2 of the study, they'll overlay magnets based on efficiencies, access, and demand @EquityMPS

Moore: in buildings with low enrollment, options could include turning it into a magnet, turning it into specialized, closing

Moore: Some districts make the mistake of thinking integration can be effective without city partnership. We need more affordable housing in this city. (Yes!) He makes the point that in some places 95% are high income. @EquityMPS

Moore: K8 capacity of MPS is 30,000. Enrollment is 24,000. There's room to bring families back

Moore: right now, 63% of families don't attend their community school. So under this model of going back to community schools, 63% of families would have to switch schools.

Arenson reiterates that we need to view this as a study, not a proposal. This won't be the final plan. It's useful to look at as a data point. @EquityMPS

Kerry Jo Felder says this does not help students of color, says she doesn't know what we're doing here today. @EquityMPS

Felder asks important questions: how will you convince White families to come to schools that have been racially identifiable? Moore says there are lots of answers, but says there are many White families who want integration @EquityMPS

Felder disagrees with the assertion that this study treats students equitably. Says this model would still be done on the backs of students of color @EquityMPS

Moore says that schools that are in Zone 1 (including North Mpls) that are currently underenrolled would have increased enrollment under the model. (Problem is that that's only because you'd be forcing families back into those schools who opted out for...reasons) @EquityMPS

One thing that is obvious in these meetings is that the relationship between the board and the MPS staff is very broken. There is little evidence of trust, or that they're talking to each other in regular productive ways

Kim Caprini asks the real question: do we have the political will to make dramatic change? Lots of snaps in the room @EquityMPS

Walser says this study is missing some really critical factors. For instance, if we change boundaries, we're going to lose people. But the model doesn't include any assumptions about that. @EquityMPS

Felder says it's problematic to talk about this study without simultaneously talking about academics. What are we going to do for families when we send them back to their community schools? @EquityMPS

Some of this is the board and staff talking past each other. IMO there aren't clear objectives for what we're doing today, how it leads to what's next, and what this study is/isn't @EquityMPS

Board member: How are you placing students in this plan
Staff: This isn't a plan. It's a study
Board: This plan treats students in my community badly
Staff: It's not a plan