Minnesota Commissioner of Education Brenda Cassellius has appointed ISAIAH Lead Organizer Phyllis M. Hill to the Education Finance Working Group.  Hill, with ISAIAH since 2008, has distinguished herself as a leader in developing education policy and working to close the racial equity gap in our schools.

The working group is composed of school and civic leaders, citizens, parents and bi-partisan legislative leadership.  The Group is charged with developing recommendations for school finance reform.  Among other things, they will draft proposals to:

  • Improve the adequacy, equity and stability of pre-K – 12 education funding
  • Simplify education funding
  • Close the achievement gap

Over the past two decades, education funding in the State of Minnesota has fallen dramatically behind the pace of inflation.  At the same time, the academic achievement gap has increased. ISAIAH’s work on racial equity in education has garnered the attention of Governor Dayton and his administration, as well as education leaders across the state.

“Minnesota is failing a whole generation of children of color.  This is a moral crisis.  It is also a crisis of leadership.  Our state cannot expect to prosper in the future until we fix our public education system.  We are pleased with Commissioner Cassellius’s recognition of ISAIAH’s work, and we are grateful for Phyllis Hill’s leadership,” said Reverend Paul Slack, President of ISAIAH and Pastor at New Creation Church in North Minneapolis.