Minnesota parents would soon have a much easier time determining if their child’s school is meeting their needs thanks to a new bill sponsored by Senator Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes). The proposal, Senate File 2816, would use existing student and school performance data to create a simple, transparent performance rating that parents could use to determine if a school is giving their child the best possible opportunity to succeed.

“The state already collects mountains of data on our schools and students, yet every year it gets more and more complicated for parents to get an answer to a simple question: how is my child’s school doing?” said Sen. Chamberlain. “Parents need information that is meaningful, understandable, and transparent. We have an obligation to make figuring it out as simple and easy as possible.”

Senate File 2816 directs the commissioner of Education to assign a star rating and academic achievement rating to schools and school districts based on a series of school and student factors, including performance on reading and math tests, graduation rates, student of color performance, and achievement gaps.

“Last session Republicans added $1.3 billion to the classrooms,” added Sen. Chamberlain. “Now we have to make sure parents are confident schools are using that money to deliver results. If we are serious about closing the achievement gap, we have to follow models that have worked. That means transparency and accountability.”

The proposal comes after years of failed attempts to close the state’s persistent achievement gap. Not only have Minnesota’s schools grown more segregated, but the achievement gap remains the largest in the country.