Wise, courageous action by Education Commissioner Willie Jett

The following column  originally was published in a number of APG of East Central Minnesota newspapers during April, 2025, including the Dakota Country Tribune,  Mille Lacs Messenger, SunThisWeek,  Press&News,  Sun Current, Sun Post, Sun Sailor,  Forest Lake Times, Union Times and Monticello Times. 

 

Wise, courageous action by Education Commissioner Willie Jett

 

In a letter that Republicans and Democrats should applaud, Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett has wisely defended Minnesota public schools from a questionable federal demand. He was responding to a U.S. Department of Education letter that commanded a response within 10 days.

Photo Courtesy of Minnesota Dept of Education

 

Is this just a battle between government officials that doesn’t have much impact on youngsters? Similar letters were sent to every state. I think Jett accurately describes the situation. He explained: “The current uncertainty and threats would penalize the most vulnerable children in Minnesota and are a distraction from the good work we need to do to ensure every student has access to a world-class education.”

Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Lewis, speaking on KARE 11 TV, praised Commissioner Jett: “I see my students and the Fridley Public Schools represented in his points he made in that letter.”

She explained, “This is the time in public education across the United States when we do our budgets.”

See KARE 11 story here.

Minnesota law requires public schools to complete their budgets by the end of June. A long court battle would force district and charter public schools to complete budgets without knowing if millions of federal (tax) dollars will be available to them. Without those funds, deep cuts would be necessary. And the federal funds are targeted, in general, to help students with special needs and students from low-income families.

A March 20, statement from the White House quoted what the president promised during the General Election campaign, among other things, “I will close the U.S. Department of Education and move education back to the states where it belongs.”

See executive order here.

I am an educator and parent who has studied and sometimes helped create education policy for decades. I’m not an attorney.

But the demand in the U.S. Department of Education letter appears to be the opposite of returning power to states. More decision-making at the state and local level is something many conservatives have urged. And it’s central to reforms that many conservatives and liberals agree on.

In his response, Jett wrote in part: “MDE has long followed federal law in implementing federal programs.”

He also commented on the U.S. Department of Education’s demand that MDE “within ten (10) days … report the signature status for each of your LEAs (local education agencies) any compliance issues found within your LEAs, and your proposed enforcement plans for those LEAs.”

Jett wrote: “We are unaware of any legal authority permitting ED to require MDE to obtain individual certifications from each of its LEAs, report on their signature status, and propose enforcement plans to ED for approval in connection with a Request for Certification of this nature.”

Moreover, Jett pointed out: “There is nothing unlawful in the principles underlying programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

A link to Jett’s letter is found in this MDE news release.

U.S. Department of Education press release describing its letter is found here.

President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Education cite data showing that public schools are not succeeding with all students. Improvements, unquestionably, are needed. Having dealt for decades with sometimes complex and difficult-to-understand federal rules, regulations, and red-tape on various grants, I agree that some simplification and some return to states and communities can be helpful.

But the fed’s imperious, questionable demands are not helping the young people the Trump administration says it wants to assist. Several other states have written letters similar to Jett’s.

I don’t always agree with the MDE. But I think this action by Jett and the Walz administration is the right and courageous thing to do for Minnesota students, families and educators.

Joe Nathan, PhD, has been a Minnesota public school educator, PTA president and researcher.  He founded and formerly directed the Center for School Change, now known as Catalyst for Systems Change. Reactions welcome, joe@centerforschoolchange.org