U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit the Minneapolis-St. Paul area Tuesday to highlight efforts underway to promote educational excellence and spur economic development.
At 8:50 a.m. CT, Duncan, accompanied by Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith and Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, will host a roundtable discussion with leaders of the Northside Achievement Zone in Minneapolis along with community partners, parents and students. There, he will hear about projects underway to improve education, housing, health care and workforce development.
The Secretary will make a special announcement before the roundtable begins. A press availability will follow at 9:50 a.m. CT.
Then at 10:50 a.m. CT, Duncan will join Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, Lt. Gov. Smith and Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius in visiting a preschool classroom at Richardson Elementary School in North St. Paul. At 11 a.m. CT, they will hold a media availability to talk about the governor’s budget request for early learning, including a proposal for voluntary, universal public preschool for 4-year-olds statewide.