Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness

Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness

The World's Best Workforce (WBWF) was developed in 2013 (Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.11) to ensure that school districts and charter schools in Minnesota enhance student achievement through teaching and learning supports. During the 2024 session, the Minnesota Legislature renamed WBWF to Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR). This change took effect as of the 2024-25 school year strategic plans and Fall 2025 annual summary report. School boards that govern districts and charter schools are required to develop comprehensive, long-term strategic plans that address the following five CACR goals:

• All children are ready for school.
• All racial and economic achievement gaps between students are closed.
• All students are ready for career and college.
• All students graduate from high school.
• All students are prepared to be lifelong learners.

What is a CACR strategic plan?

A CACR Strategic plan is a multi-year, detailed document that illustrated how a district or charter school will execute its goals or initiatives concerning the CACR goals. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) recommends that districts and charter schools develop goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART).

CACR annual report and public meeting

While the CACR strategic plan is a multi-year strategic roadmap, legislation requires that districts and charter schools submit an annual summary report to MDE. The annual summary report should provide details about strategies and local progress toward CACR goals. Districts and charter schools submit their annual summary report through the Minnesota Education Grant System (MEGS) as part of the ESEA Consolidated Application End of Year Report. The 2024-25 report may be submitted beginning September 1, 2025. The End of Year Report must be submitted by December 15, 2025. The Microsoft Word Template to assist with planning the annual summary report is available for download at the following link:

CACR Annual Summary Report Template Districts and charter schools are required to hold an annual public meeting each fall on the progress made toward CACR goals. The meeting is designed to empower teachers, families/caregivers, support staff, students and other community residents to provide feedback on the data in the report.

Districts and charter schools are also required to periodically survey students, families, and/or community members, in their native languages where appropriate and practicable, about their connection to and level of satisfaction with school. These results are included as part of the annual summary report.

What role does the school board play?

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.11, requires school boards to establish advisory committees. The advisory committee should:

• Ensure that community members have an opportunity to participate in the strategic planning process.
• Be reflective of the district's diversity and its schools, and thus include, to the extent possible, teachers, families/caregivers, support staff, students, and other community residents.
• Make recommendations to the school board concerning rigorous academic standards and student achievement goals and measures.

How will districts and charter schools measure progress?

Each district and charter school creates its own plan to prepare all students for school and align a standards-based curriculum with classroom instruction, so that students are career- and college-ready at graduation. The success of each plan can be measured locally using, among other possible data sources:

• The Kindergarten Entry Profile or other measures of school readiness.
• State or local assessments.
• Graduation rates.
• College entrance exams.
• Postsecondary outcomes, including employment.

What role does the Minnesota Department of Education play?

While each CACR strategic plan is developed and implemented locally, MDE offers support to districts and charter schools throughout the academic year.

MDE worked with district and Charter school representatives in the Title I Community of Practitioners (COP) to align the CACR goals with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) goal-setting and evaluation requirements. MDE supports LEAs to ensure they do not write separate SMART goals for their implemented ESEA programs, rather MDE encourages LEAs to invest these federal funds to support the strategic work of the LEA and school(s).

If there are general questions or assistance needed pertaining to WBWF/CACR districts and charter schools can contact us at [email protected].