Great MN Schools

09/24/2026

At our 10th anniversary celebration, we're honored to present our first ever Legacy Award to Tad Piper. The award recognizes the kind of long-term commitment that makes this work possible, the belief that every child in our community deserves a great school, held steadily over many years. Tad has been a consistent champion for Great MN Schools and the students of Minneapolis.

Faribault Mill is sponsoring this year's event in his honor. "In honor of Tad Piper," says Chairman Paul Grangaard, "exemplary civic leader and valued personal mentor."

Thank you, Faribault Mill, for celebrating Tad and the work of Great MN Schools alongside us.

09/18/2026

Great MN Schools is celebrating a decade of working alongside educators, families, and partners to make sure every Minneapolis student has access to a great school.

Huge thanks to the sponsors making this celebration and our impact possible:

4MATIV
Alleyne Matlock & Associates
Ayada Leads
The Albright Foundation
Faribault Mill
Graves Foundation
General Mills
Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

09/14/2026

The students who will fill this region's most critical roles in 2040 are in elementary school today. Whether they arrive prepared is not a question that resolves itself and it isn't a question schools can answer alone.

Ten years in, we know what works. Strong, well-supported principals. Students held to high expectations with the support to meet them. Families given real information and real choices. Systems built for transparency and accountability.

Today that means more than 6,000 students served, 100% of our partner schools outperforming similar options, and students reaching proficiency in math and reading at 1.5x the rate of their peers.

What we also know: scaling requires more than philanthropy. It requires a business community that treats school quality as shared infrastructure, the way it treats transit and housing.

The future of this region is being built in classrooms right now, and everyone who plans to be here for it has a stake in how it goes.

We made this case in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal this week. Check it out!

Ask any CEO in this market what keeps them up at night and the workforce shows up near the top of the list. That bench is being built right now, in classrooms.

09/10/2026

Join us and the St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization to meet the candidates running for the 2026 MPS School Board. Hear where they stand on the issues shaping our schools.

Wednesday, September 16, 6PM
Broken Clock Brewery - 1712 Marshall St NE, Suite 100
Free and open to all!

Can't make it? Explore our digital voter guide: getonboardmn.org/voter-guide

09/02/2026

Less than a month until The Spark: our 10 Year celebration!

For a decade, Great MN Schools has worked alongside educators, families, and advocates to expand access to great schools for Minneapolis students. On Thursday, September 24, we're gathering to celebrate how far we've come and everything still ahead.

Tickets are going fast, and they're almost gone. Don't miss it.

Grab yours today: event.gives/thespark

5:30PM | THE SPARKCelebrating 10 Years of Igniting Opportunity for Minneapolis StudentsThursday, September 245:30-8:30pmThe Mosaic, MinneapolisEducation is what ignites a life -- and a city. For ten years, Great MN Schools has worked to ensure every student in Minneapolis has access to a great schoo...

08/12/2026

Vote for "Invisible Majority: What Literacy Assessments Still Miss" at 2027!

The Science of Reading has made progress on decoding, but language comprehension is still invisible in our instruction and assessments.

Join our very own Director of Literacy, Melissa Long -- alongside Michelle Odemwingie, CEO of Achievement Network; Dr. Mary Schreuder, Director of Literacy at Achievement Network; and Dan Reynolds, Senior Education Researcher for SRI Education as they unpack the comprehension chasm.

Voting closes on Sunday, August 23, so please vote today to see our session at 2027!

Vote now: https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw27/community-voting-edu/page/community-voting/session/1785114315826001ShCU

08/06/2026

We are excited to share that we are finalists for the 2026 Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network Eddie in two categories!

Best Implementation with EdAllies and Educators for Excellence. – From Gaps to Gains: How Advocates Closed Minnesota’s Teacher Prep Literacy Divide

Best Collaboration with EdAllies and National Parents Union - Defending the Rights of Minnesota’s Immigrant Students in the Wake of Operation Metro Surge

Through protecting students' right to a safe education regardless of immigration status and driving a 232% increase in Minnesota teacher prep programs teaching the science of reading, this work reached over a million Minnesota students.

PIE Network members, cast your vote through August 28. Learn more about this year’s dynamic nominees: https://www.pie-network.org/what-we-do/the-eddies/2026-eddies/

07/30/2026

Teachers show up every single day to help kids discover a love of learning.

When we asked teacher Dania Fathroen at New Millennium Academy what makes a great school, her answer was inspiring: it's a place where students are curious, engaged, and excited to learn—not because they have to be there, but because they want to be. A place where they leave knowing something they didn't know before, ask big questions, and build the confidence to solve real-world problems.

Dania is one of hundreds of educators we've had the privilege of learning alongside over the past 10 years.

Want to learn more about our work to ensure every child has access to a great school? Save the date for our 10-Year Celebration on September 24. https://event.gives/thespark

07/13/2026

Our partner Good Trouble is hosting their 2nd Annual State of the Youth: Shape the Next 250 this Thursday, July 16th.

State of the Youth is an opportunity to connect with passionate youth and dedicated community leaders, strengthen networks, and contribute to a collective call to action for a more just and thriving Minnesota.

You don't want to miss it!
www.goodtroublemn.org/soty

06/17/2026

Congratulations to Sondra Samuels -- one of TIME's inaugural Visionaries! Her dedication to educational equity and the families of North Minneapolis is making a real difference! 🎉

We're proud to share that Northside Achievement Zone President & CEO Sondra Samuels has been named one of TIME's inaugural Visionaries.

Selected as one of 14 honorees nationwide, Sondra joins a remarkable group of leaders recognized for driving bold, systemic change to help children reach their full potential. According to TIME, the inaugural list highlights individuals working across education, mental health, economic opportunity, housing, and other critical areas to ensure young people have the support and resources they need to thrive.

For more than 15 years, Sondra has championed a vision rooted in the strengths, aspirations, and potential of North Minneapolis families. Under her leadership, NAZ has grown into a collaborative of more than 40 partner organizations and schools working together to support children and families from cradle to career.

In its profile, highlighted NAZ's innovative Wealth Builds Minneapolis initiative, in partnership with Harlem Children's Zone, which helps families build assets and opportunity through financial education and college savings accounts, as well as the organization's long-term commitment to improving outcomes for North Minneapolis children.

While this recognition bears Sondra's name, it reflects the visionary and collective efforts of countless scholars, families, staff, partners, and community members who have worked together to build a brighter future for North Minneapolis.

As Sondra shared with TIME, "It's about hope. We're here to power purpose and potential on the Northside."

Congratulations, Sondra. We are grateful for your leadership and proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.

See more here: https://time.com/collection/visionaries/2026/sondra-samuels/