Minnevate!

Educators in a workshop

Client: Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA)
Location: Minnesota, United States
Year: 2013–2014
Focus: Educational leadership, strategic foresight, community engagement

A statewide dialogue to shape bold, community-driven education futures

Minnevate! was a year-long initiative designed to create an action agenda for education in Minnesota, grounded in grassroots dialogue and strategic foresight. Led by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) and facilitated by Education Futures LLC, the project invited educators, students, policymakers, business leaders, and community members to reimagine the future of education in an era of accelerating change.

Approach

The initiative unfolded through a series of structured World Café events held across nine regions of Minnesota, beginning with a statewide launch in December 2013. Each session brought together local stakeholders to discuss three guiding questions: What are our boldest visions for education? How can we build collective capacity across communities? And what practical steps are needed to realize those visions?

More than 360 participants contributed through regional dialogues, focus groups, and a dedicated project platform. Conversations were analyzed using grounded theory and open coding to identify shared values, challenges, and opportunities. International thought leaders and MASA’s Richard Green Scholars contributed additional insights, bringing global and academic perspectives into local planning processes.

Deliverables

The project resulted in a comprehensive strategic report and action agenda for MASA, including:

  • A thematic synthesis of input from more than 30 World Café sessions across the state
  • Recommendations for fostering collaboration, building trust, and increasing urgency for innovation
  • A roadmap for continued community engagement, cross-sector cooperation, and educator capacity building
  • Creation of a dedicated online platform for ongoing idea sharing and transparency
  • Strategies to align leadership development, accountability models, and community engagement with future-focused learning

Impact

Minnevate! repositioned MASA as a convener of statewide educational innovation. It surfaced deep, often intangible challenges—such as the erosion of trust between schools and communities—and framed them as strategic opportunities. The process also inspired a renewed commitment to student agency, whole-child learning, and inclusive community partnerships. As Minnesota confronts the complexities of a post-industrial society, Minnevate! laid the foundation for a more future-ready, collaborative approach to educational leadership and planning.