How would you ensure the district is financially sustainable? What do you think are the most important steps for MPS to take to respond to the existing budget deficit?

Minneapolis Public Schools is facing an unprecedented historical financial crisis deficit of 110 million dollars!

It will require all of us to step up to help our kids. It is a State Of Emergency!

1. We must increase enrollment and provide families with choices that meet their needs. We must ensure our district infrastructure and staffing are aligned with student enrollment – MPS will have to look at combining some schools, closing other schools and in some cases expanding programming to meet our current and future enrollment. This will not be easy but it is a necessary part of the overall strategy to become a more fiscally sustainable district.
2. It is critical for Minneapolis residents that we pass the tech levy – this fall’s tech levy would provide $20 million to offset technology and cyber security costs thereby freeing up $20 million from the general fund to cover other expenses. It will help reduce the amount of future cuts if passed. We must lobby and demand for greater local, county, state and federal funding – Districts, including MPS, still must use significant amounts of their general fund budgets to cover English Learner and special education costs not covered by the state or federal governments. These important, mandated services should be fully funded for all districts across MN.

In 2023, the Governor signed the omnibus education bill into law. It contained the largest increases in English Learner and special education funding in more than two decades. However, these important programs remain underfunded. The state must step forward in 2025 and address the underfunding of these two programs. The 2023 bill also gave school boards the ability to renew operating levies by a vote of the board instead of having to go out for a referendum. This does not apply to tech levies (the levy MPS is seeking to increase this fall) but the 2025 legislature should extend board authorization to tech levy renewals in the future. Tech levies, just like operating levies, are now critical parts of districts’ base budgets.

Providing devices to students, ensuring cyber criminals do not breach our systems and the technology infrastructure to run a modern district are all essential to our operations.

Enrollment has decreased in MPS for 5+ straight years, especially among BIPOC students (see here for trends); what strategies would you use to reestablish strong enrollment in the district, particularly among families whose voices are not frequently heard?

I am proud to say I have been at the forefront of hearing what families’ concerns are and leading in efforts to make change. I have partnered with families, teachers and principals to hear their concerns and address them immediately. MPS must provide families with choices that meet their needs. A high demand program, which I am a strong advocate for, is the Spanish-Dual Immersion Program. I continue to be engaged with families and students to ensure we continue building strong relationships and continue building broken trust.

What do you see as the role of the school board member? What skills and experience would you bring to the board that is needed? Are you open to increasing your knowledge around school board governance?

A school board member is the overseer of the budget and the Superintendent. I also believe hearing directly from families of MPS, so that I could amplify their concerns or success stories. I bring the skill of a grassroots organizer, I truly believe in a government for the people and by the people. As the incumbent representing District 4, I continue to be open to learning and gaining knowledge and skills that will help me support MPS families.

What strategies would you advocate for to hire, retain, support, and develop educators of color?

A Grow Your Program like Saint Paul Public Schools has implemented. One program for people with a B.S, and one program for the Para Professionals are usually BIPOC. I would also make connections with HBCU so that students in the teaching profession from those schools know MPE wants and needs them. I would also take advantage of the CTE center we are building, by growing our own right out of high school.

What are your views on the science of reading? What priorities would you advance to ensure the district is improving literacy for students?

There is so much research on how kids learn how to read, we can’t ignore the research. I am proud of the work we are doing at MPS on literacy, thanks to our MPS parents and advocates who have championed literacy reform at MPS. Our families pushed us to do an audit of our literacy curriculum and we are currently on track to implementing evidence based foundational skills for our MPS kids. We are also proud our district is one of the Co Chairs of the Minnesota Literacy Coalition whose mission is ALL CHILDREN are recognized for their language assets and supported to acquire the literacy skills appropriate to their development and age/grade, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS are valued partners in their children’s education and are equipped to support literacy development, PK-12 EDUCATORS are prepared and supported to provide culturally-affirming, engaging, evidence-backed, and accessible literacy instruction, COMMUNITY PARTNERS deliver high-quality, coherent literacy services, and DECISION MAKERS have the information and public support to enact effective literacy development efforts and policies.

I plan to continue supporting our district’s efforts to provide every child at MPS with an evidence based literacy curriculum.

How would you work to ensure the district shares transparent data with families that helps them to feel up to date on progress and challenges?

We must do a better job as a district to inform our families and the community about what the numbers are showing. We continue to grow our communication to families about what is happening at MPS, so that they are in the driver seat of change. We need to be more frank with our families so that they feel like they are part of the fight for change and not an afterthought.

What do you see as the role of youth voice and opinion in decisions affecting Minneapolis Public Schools? How would you work to ensure that students have the opportunity to shape and influence their own learning?

I believe youth voice very critical decisions we make at MPS. I have worked to ensure our MPS students are heard and are at the forefront of how we make decisions at MPS. I will continue to fight to make sure our youth are heard and also are part of what needs to change.

How do you plan to prioritize and resource the new ethnic studies standards, and ensure the associated curriculum, and related staff training create acceptance and celebration of every student’s background, such as race/ethnicity, gender identity, religion, and sexual orientation?

I am proud to say we are the first district in the state to implement Ethics Studies. As a proud Latine woman, who was to be the first ever Mexican American to the MPS School Board, I plan to continue to make sure Ethnic Studies is a priority and has the resources needed to be part of everyday learning in schools.

As a school board director, what does accountability look like to you?

Accountability means to me what we say matches what we do in real time. Following through with the promises and commitments made to our community.