DeKruif School Innovation Zone Bill Endorsed by Senate

The Minnesota Senate on Thursday approved a plan that would allow schools to share services and join together according to author Sen. Al DeKruif (R-Elysian).

The measure would establish six pilot projects across the state that would allow three or more school districts to work together with their leaders, teachers and parents to offer ideas to combine services within school districts, in exchange for the state lifting many mandates placed on local districts. DeKruif said his intent is to open doors to creativity that is currently discouraged under laws and administrative rules.

“As schools boards face scarce resources, partnering and sharing is not only a way to free up teachers to work more closely with individual students but it can help a school to expand to curriculum that might not normally be available,” he said. “The possibilities are almost limitless.”

The measure was supported by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, including Executive Director Charlie Kyte who spoke in favor of the bill during earlier committee hearings and sent a letter to all Senators. He said administrators statewide are discussing how to change instruction, including joint delivery of programming and personalized, “student-driven” instruction. Kyte is the former superintendent of Northfield schools.

“What we are recognizing is that a single district has a difficult time creating significant change,” Kyte said. “When they collaborate they can break out of the box.

A similar measure is advancing in the Minnesota House.

Editor's note: This release comes from DeKruif's office. For Patch's story on this, .