Reimagine
Education


This collaborative initiative transforms research into collective action to make our schools better for each and every child.

Impact
We have been asking students, parents, community members, school leaders, and researchers what is working—and what isn’t working—in our schools. This collective input has led to a roadmap to help transform our K-12 education system to benefit all students.
Learning Collectives
This initiative represents a shift in our education strategy that focuses on bringing together students, parents, administrators, teachers, and school board members to develop a common agenda for disrupting inequities in school systems. Learning collectives are central to our new approach to education.
Research
We retained a team of University of Minnesota researchers led by Dr. Michael Rodriguez to outline the research basis for a proposed set of strategies that emerged from our community and superintendents in 2017. When COVID-19 forced schools to move to virtual platforms, we again retained the U of M team to develop a second report on how distance learning impacts education equity.
Grantmaking
Education is a key area where we make strategic investments to dismantle the barriers that hold inequities in place. Reimagine, and its robust input process, have impacted this work and influence our education grantmaking.
Co-Investment
While the primary funding strategy of Reimagine is to reallocate existing public education funds, the work has attracted funding from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation for our larger community convening. We anticipate additional philanthropic partners as the work evolves.
Partnership
Along with using learning collectives to build deep cross-sector relationships around this body of work, the Minneapolis Foundation’s staff is also actively encouraging local school districts to leverage key learnings from the 2019 Reimagine report to help implement equity-focused plans to improve student achievement and support young people’s wellbeing and social emotional development.
Advocacy
Our staff has presented Reimagine findings to education and civic leaders. A recent school board conference included discussions about how school administrators and school boards can work together to incorporate elements of Reimagine into their equity plans and efforts to close the state’s persistent achievement and opportunity gaps.

The Latest
story
Hearing the voices of principals
Learn about how the Minneapolis Foundation teamed up with the University of Minnesota and Joyce Foundation in 2021 to elevate the voice of principals through a first-of-its-kind statewide survey.
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A Rare Opportunity to Invest in Schools
All signs point to major – even possibly record – investments in education in Minnesota this year as legislators discuss the budget surplus.
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Reimagine Education Grants Support Equity-Focused Organizations
More than $1.2 million in Reimagine Education grants will go to 22 schools and organizations that are advancing equity in Minnesota’s K-12 education system.
Read StoryResources
Executive Summary
This survey summary highlights diverse families’ experiences in shifting to distance learning as a result of COVID-19.
Education Inequities
This report considers education inequities in the era of of COVID-19.
Striving for Success
In 2019, we sponsored a survey and listening sessions with principals from across Minnesota to learn more about their training and experiences.
Student Conference
This student-designed, student-led forum allowed teens to voice their perspectives on education and inform our Reimagine Education work.
Expanding the Vision
This report provides evidence-based solutions that have the potential to be transformational for racial disparities in our community.
Feedback from Leaders
Learn what education leaders think about the key levers identified through Reimagine Education, including how they see it transforming from a report into action.