Southeast

The Minnesota Regional Centers of Excellence

Through its partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education and six Minnesota Service Cooperatives, the Regional Centers of Excellence (RCEs) provide a broad range of support for schools and districts across the entire state. The work of the RCEs is aligned with the outcomes outlined in Minnesota’s Due North Education Plan, along with the state’s federally legislated Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, designed to improve reading and mathematics proficiency, attendance and graduation rates and progress in English language proficiency.

The RCEs support identified districts and charter schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) or Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) under ESSA. We develop partnerships with education systems, leaders and staff to promote equity-focused school transformation, through meaningful engagement and ongoing improvement to sustain change. We provide assistance and coaching that is guided by the foundational belief that each and every learner graduates life-ready from culturally sustaining school systems.

Guiding Principles

RCE team members value relationships and collaboration. We promote equity-focused school transformation and are empathetic, curious, and committed. We use critical thinking and sustain partnerships with schools, communities, families and students.

What will I be doing?

Onsite and virtual school coaching focused on achieving equitable outcomes.  Advocates work with building and district leaders, leadership teams, and staff to support the development of sustainable plans for improvement.  Our coaching is context-based and responsive to the unique needs of our schools.

Supporting education systems to implement the following high-leverage approaches:

• Anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable practices, policies, and cultures
• Multiple and flexible pathways that promote deep learning as well as student voice and choice
• Shared, data-informed decision-making among educators, students, families, and community members
• Standards-based and standards-aligned curriculum design, instruction, and assessment
• Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) using a systemic, continuous improvement framework in which data-based problem solving and decision-making is practiced across all levels of the system to support students
• Trusting relationships between and among students, families, and educators
• Professional learning communities

Engage in focused conversations with district and school leaders to build capacity for equity-focused school transformation.

Collecting data and reflecting on practice in cycles of learning and improvement. Advocates work with school leaders and teams to identify and implement evidence based practices using the Active Implementation Framework.

Developing and implementing tools for systems improvement. Advocates work collaboratively with team members to create tools and resources to use with our schools.

Learning and reflecting together with colleagues is a critical part of our work.  Advocates continually develop their own professional capacity in addition to learning collaboratively with a team.

Designing and facilitating relevant and interactive professional development sessions.

What qualities do I need to succeed in this role?

A commitment to equity and equitable practices:  RCE advocates share a commitment to equitable education for every student, without exception.  They strive to improve the quality of education for students across the state of Minnesota.  An RCE advocate should demonstrate bravery to challenge inequities in our educational systems and employ strategies to realise results.

A consistent use of evidence-based best practices:  RCE advocates have the belief that using high leverage, evidence-based practices to meet the individual needs of partner schools and districts will provide meaningful and sustainable outcomes for students and families.  Advocates are skilled at adapting best practices and have the courage of conviction to support educators in adopting these practices for the benefit of students.

A familiarity with using data and research to make decisions:  RCE advocates are familiar with identifying and using multiple data sources available to schools and districts.  Advocates are comfortable reviewing, discussing and using this data to identify areas for growth and then making recommendations and plans for next steps based on the data.

A lifelong love of learning:  RCE advocates enjoy developing themselves personally and professionally by acquiring new skills and learning.  Advocates enjoy learning with and from their colleagues, schools, and the communities in which they work to stay informed of evolving best practices in education, implementation science, data analysis, and equitable practices.

The ability to be self-motivated:  RCE advocates are self-motivated and able to work both independently and collaboratively on a diverse team.  Advocates are able to prioritize among competing demands to manage multiple projects, identify strategic priorities, and navigate challenges that arise to push through to positive solutions.

A passion for working collaboratively:  RCE advocates are dependable with colleagues, supportive of others, and able to tackle a challenge as part of a group. Advocates value diversity, respect different ideas, and openly address concerns with colleagues.  Advocates collaborate easily with a variety of stakeholders through active listening strategies, soliciting feedback through a variety of methods, providing access to data, and setting clear shared goals.

Our Commitment to Diversity

The RCEs serve diverse communities across Minnesota. We strive to have our advocates reflect the communities in which we partner. We encourage candidates who speak multiple languages to join us as we recognize that many of the communities we work with have significant language diversity. Speaking a language in addition to English is not required, but is a beneficial additional skill.

The SE/Metro Regional Center of Excellence

While the SE/Metro Regional Center of Excellence is part of the Southeast Service Cooperative, located in Rochester, Minnesota, our team members serve schools across Southeastern Minnesota. You will be traveling to schools on a frequent basis from your home office, including periodic overnight travel. Travel costs (mileage, meals, hotel) are reimbursed and home office equipment and cellular service is provided. Your weekly schedule is designed to be flexible in order to accommodate the needs of the schools in your region and may vary from day-to-day.