Clearing Policy Barriers to Student-Centered Learning - Recommendations for a More Relevant, Personalized, and Equitable Minnesota Education System - by Lars Esdal October 2017

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob

Paper argues that Minnesota’s public education system faces persistent academic stagnation and widespread student disengagement, with especially severe opportunity and achievement gaps for underserved learners. It proposes student-centered learning as an alternative model, describing seven guiding principles and emphasizing personalized variation in learning experiences. The report examines specific policy barriers across standards, testing, licensure, staffing, and finance, then recommends state policy changes to enable innovation while maintaining accountability for results.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction and Context

Education Has a Design Problem

Needed: Student-Centered Learning for all

Role for Policy: Clear Barriers to Innovation

Acknowledging Barriers Beyond State Policy

Policy Barriers and Recommendations

What Changes in Student-Centered Learning?

Policy Barriers to Making those Changes

A Blurry Line Between a “Barrier” and a “Hassle”

Subsystems: Standards, Credits, and Seat time; Testing and accountability; Licensure and Staffing; Finance and Funding Streams

Next Steps

Innovation Zone or Universal Changes?

Conclusion

End Notes

Clearing Policy Barriers to Student-Centered Learning Recommendations for a More Relevant, Personalized, and Equitable Minnesota Education System by Lars Esdal October 2017 While this paper was written by Lars Esdal, with contributions from Krista Kaput, it was informed and inspired by conversations with over 25 educators—including teachers, principals, district administrators, and superintendents—in Minnesota school districts and charter schools innovating with student-centered learning. We do not list them here by name because we spoke with them on conditions of anonymity, but weare immensely grateful for the input we received from each one. Thankyou! About Education Evolving. We are a Minnesota-based, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on improving American public education. We work to advance student-centered learning for all students, by supporting teachers designing and leading schools, and by advocating for policy that is open to innovation. [Read more at](Read more at www.educationevolving.org)[ www.educationevolving.org](Read more at www.educationevolving.org). Contents PaRt 1 : Introduction and Context 4 Education Has a Design Problem 4 Needed: Student-Centered Learning for all 5 Role for Policy: Clear Barriers to Innovation 6 acknowledging Barriers Beyond State Policy 6 PaRt 2 : Policy Barriers and Recommendations 8 What Changes in Student-Centered Learning? 9 Policy Barriers to Making those Changes 10 a Blurry Line Between a “Barrier” and a “Hassle” 11 Subsystem a: Standards, Credits, and Seat time 11 Subsystem B: testing and accountability 14 Subsystem C: Licensure and Staffing 17 Subsystem D: Finance and Funding Streams 19 PaRt 3: Next Steps 21 Innovation Zone or Universal Changes? 21 Conclusion 21 End Notes 22 Introduction and Context EduCatIon HaS a dESIgn ProBLEm M innesota’s system of public education has a lot going for it. The state regularly places at the top of lists that rank educational performance.1 Minnesota’s students receive some of the highest ACT and PISA scores in the nation2 and graduate from high school and four-year college at rates above the national average.3 When the data is examined at a deeper level, however, major shortcomings appear. Minnesota has struggled with decades of stagnant academic performance,4 and unacceptable levels of student disengagement and dropout. Local business and civic communities are pleading5 for students with skills in problem solving, collaboration, initiative, and creativity,6 while jobs requiring those skills go unfilled.7 Students in underserved communities, particularly students experiencing poverty, students of color, English language learners, students with learning differences, and rural students, are particularly affected by these problems. According to several measures, Minnesota has some of the worst opportunity and achievement gaps in the country.8 The routine failings of public education to serve all young people is a moral crisis, which also has profound repercussions for the state’s civic and economic future. We assert that much of the disappointing performance we see from public education stems While the traditional model works for some, it was never designed to work for all. from an outdated, factory-model design of school. While the traditional model works for some, it was never designed to work for all. Incremental improvements to the traditional system will yield only incremental progress, and will not result in better outcomes for all students.9 4 | [educationevolving.org](educationevolving.org) nEEdEd: StudEnt-CEntErEd LEarnIng for aLL If the traditional model of school does not work for many young people, what is the alternative? There is no one design of school that will best serve all learners. Students have unique interests, aspirations, learning styles, cultural identities, life experiences, and personal challenges. To meet all students’ needs, Minnes

FAQs

What problem does the paper identify with Minnesota’s education system?

It points to decades of stagnant academic performance and unacceptable student disengagement and dropout, along with major opportunity and achievement gaps affecting underserved communities.

What is the proposed alternative to the traditional school model?

The paper advocates student-centered learning driven by individual student needs, including greater variation in learning experiences within and among schools.

How does the report describe the role of state policy?

State policy should enable and encourage a climate of innovation by allowing educators freedom to design and refine student-centered learning while still holding schools accountable for results.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jacob