February 5, 2010

Dear MMEP Community:

Recently, at the request of the editorial board, I submitted a counterpoint to an opinion piece featured in USA Today. Weighing in on high school graduation rates, it was the conclusion of their editorial board that some states “water down” standards leading to devalued diplomas. Minnesota topped their “dishonor” role because of the move by the state’s Legislature to delay requirement of a high-stakes math test until 2014. The invitation to respond with a counterpoint view was extended to me due to my position as an elected official and chairman of the Minnesota House K-12 Education Oversight Committee.

However, it is important for me to acknowledge that it is also my position as executive director of the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership, Inc. (MMEP), which has afforded me the opportunity to be an influential actor in setting education policy at the state level. This influence has begun to extend to a national level due to Minnesota’s application for “Race to the Top” funding, and the upcoming reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. President Barack Obama has made it very clear that going forward this nation’s education policy, and corresponding funding, will be directed to efforts that will ultimately provide for racial equity in education outcomes.

My work is guided MMEP’s principles of promoting race equity in education in order to increase success for students of color and American Indian students in Minnesota schools, colleges, and universities. By virtue of how the work of MMEP has shaped my approach to education policy, the organization’s members, partners and funders have supported a leader on vitally important education reform and education race equity issues.

Thank you for your support,

Carlos Mariani

Executive Director, MMEP

 Keep students' dreams alive   A response from Carlos Mariani
 To boost graduation rates, standards watered down   An USA Today editorial