PROGRESS 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012 • Albert Lea Tribune • Page 7 Austin Success Coach Chrissy DeLuna helps Neveln Elementary School second-grader Maria Miguel Felipe on a math exercise earlier this year. The Success Coach program is considered an educational success in Austin and Albert Lea, but the state integration revenue used to fund the program could be in jeopardy this legislative session. — Trey Mewes
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ranking high among district initiatives. Success coaches help students new to the district succeed, whether that’s assisting a bilingual Hispanic or Sudanese student with classes, translating for parents who don’t speak English, or bringing new students and students from other countries up to speed on their lessons. “The success coaches are viewed as very welcoming by all the groups that we’ve talked to in our community,” said Kristi Beckman, Austin’s integration coordinator. “That would be one of the biggest things that we’ve done.” In addition, Austin uses integration funding for speakers like Naomi Tutu and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Allen Page, as well as community films, field trips, and academic opportunities like bringing Austin and Albert Lea High School students to Minnesota State Universeity, Mankato, for a Latino career day in
engineering programs. In addition, both districts fund after school opportunities which allows more students to come together for opportunities. The goal is to give students opportunities to learn from and with each other, as well as to bring students of all walks of life together. That’s part of the reason why Albert Lea and Austin partner with Southland and Hayfield and as part of the Southeastern Minnesota Integration Collaborative. The collaborative shares resources between districts and offers partnership opportunities like foreign language pen pals and lesson sharing. Several districts, such as Albert Lea, are voluntary partners with Austin, which was tasked by the Minnesota Department of Education in 2006 to put together an integration plan in response to the district’s increasing population of students of color. “All of the initiatives,
the partnerships have been a wonderful opportunity, as we’ve learned a lot from what Austin has been doing,” Knudtson said. “It’s a good opportunity for all of our students and their parents when we can work together with other districts.” Yet those partnerships will be put to the test this legislative session. Republican lawmakers tried to redefine integration funding last year during the 2011 shutdown battles so integration money could be spread around the state more evenly. Twin Cities school districts, which have a larger population of students of color, receive the majority of integration funding at the moment and lawmakers say the funding program isn’t doing enough to help decrease the increasing achievement gap between white and nonwhite students. “The important thing is we spend the dollars on things that work,” said Rep. Pat Garofalo,
R-Farmington and chairman of the Education Finance Committee. Garofalo and other legislators heard from state Department of Education officials as part of the Integration Revenue Replacement Task Force on Feb. 15 for its proposal on how the integration revenue program should be changed. Task force members have looked at ways to improve student achievement and forced busing, according to Garofalo. While Garofalo said Greater Minnesota could have increased funding under the new program, educators won’t hold their breath until Legislators decide what to do with the current program. “We just don’t know what they’re going to do,” Beckman said about collaborative initiatives. “In the spirit with that, we’re going to stick with the initiatives going on right now. We’ll keep those initiatives going until we find out what’s next.” — Trey Mewes
What’s the future hold? Population projections County Dodge Faribault Freeborn Mower Steele Waseca
2010* 20,087 14,553 31,255 39,163 36,576 19,136
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 23,470 25,110 26,510 27,740 28,800 15,180 15,190 15,180 15,050 14,960 31,970 32,050 32,110 32,020 31,940 39,760 40,330 40,790 40,990 41,210 40,810 42,900 44,630 46,030 47,200 20,070 20,400 20,690 20,760 20,850 — Minnesota State Demographic Center, figures released in 2007 * From the U.S. 2010 census
Projections for race
Projections for education
• The percent of Minnesota’s population that is nonwhite or Latino is projected to grow from 14 percent in 2005 to 25 percent in 2035. • The numbers of Latino, black and Asian Minnesotans are projected to more than double over the next 30 years. • The white population is projected to grow slowly and will decline in some parts of the state. • All regions of the state will become more racially and ethnically diverse than they are now. — Minnesota State Demographic Center, issued June 2009
• Minnesota K-12 school enrollment, including both public and nonpublic, is projected to rise about 7 percent between 2008-2009 and 2018-2019. • K-6 enrollment is projected to increase each year, with a total gain of 11 to 12 percent over 10 years. • Enrollment in grades 7 to 12 is projected to fall until 2012-2013, and then rise slightly. • Two alternative projections give similar results for total and public enrollments. — Minnesota State Demographic Center, issued June 2009
You’ve probably enjoyed York engineering for years without even knowing it. We have, after all, designed and implemented heating and cooling systems in some of the world’s most famous structures, including the U.S. Capitol building, India’s Taj Mahl, the Sydney Opera House, the entire U.S. Navy nuclear submarine fleet, and even venues such as your local mall and ! corner bank. We’re constantly leading the industry in Fill in the service tech’s our design and our technology. And our commitment thoughts, bring it in to us, has earned our products the Good Housekeeping and our H.V.A.C. Tech’s will pick Seal of Approval. You can depend on York!
Cartoon Contest
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373-1301
Activities
• Pastor’s Day • Highway Cleanup • Scholarships for students in ALHS & Riverland • Christmas Shopping for children & families • High School Key Club • Junior High Builders Club • Frank Hall Park Playground • New Basketball Courts • Bringing Up Grades Program These projects are supported through various fundraising efforts President - Angie Eggum President Elect - Rhonda Allison Vice President - Tim Engstrom Immediate Past President - Paul Troe Co-Secretaries - Larry Forster & Iris Tarvestad Treasurer - Judy Verdoorn
www.albertleakiwanis.org
Clover Leaf Lions Meets First & Third Tuesdays at Big Island Bar & Grill, Americas Best Value Inn
39 YEARS SERVING THE COMMUNITY
Projects: Flight Breakfast at Airport Radio Days at KATE Radio Fair Ring Toss World Service Days Road Clean-up ALL LIONS MEMBERS WELCOME If you would like to become a member call Tom at 373-1696
YBREAKERS DA
We welcome you to learn more about our club by attending one of our weekly meetings
FRIDAYS, 7AM-8AM Albert Lea American Legion
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. Working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. And along the way, club members share fun and laughter. president - phil hintermeister president-elect - bob kindler immediate past president - lois ahern treasurer - orlo willmert secretary - jennifer levisen