01-14-1998 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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ecsu Educational Cooperative Service Unit of the Metropolitan Twin Cities Area (A Service Cooperative of the State of Minnesota) 3499 Lexington Avenue North Saint Paul, Minnesota 55126 -8017 (612) 490 -0058 (V) • TTY (612) 490 -1442 FAX (612) 490 -1920 • E -mail: ecsu @informns.k12.mn.us A Proposal to the Minnesota Board on Government Innovation and Cooperation Proposed Applicants: • Educational Cooperative Service Unit of the Metropolitan Twin Cities Area (Metro ECSU) • Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities • Roseville Area Schools, Independent District #623 • Chaska School District, Independent District #112 • Municipalities within these school districts (potentially 11 municipalities) Goal of Proposed Project: To foster more and improved collaborative planning between and among school districts and municipalities within the seven county metropolitan area. Background: Historically, collaborative planning between school districts and cities has been sporadic and patchy. Outside forces currently facing both jurisdictions will make this go -it -alone approach more costly to taxpayers and more frustrating for elected officials. The recent development by the Metropolitan Council of the Regional Growth Strategies projects an urban household growth of 330,000 within the next 25 years. The majority of this growth is expected to occur within or at the edge of the existing developed area. This implies the need for closer collaboration as cities plan for the use of their existing vacant land and schools plan for their expansion. It is also timely, since the legislature has mandated all jurisdictions within the seven county metropolitan area completely update their comprehensive plans looking out to the year 2020. Currently, the only requirement for collaboration is that cities send their plans to the school districts six months prior to sending it to the Metropolitan Council for review. As a result of little contact between some school districts and their related municipalities and the districts lack of familiarity with the comprehensive planning process, any feedback from the schools may be of little value. The Problem: First and foremost, there is a significant need for cooperative planning between school districts and municipalities. Specifically, as vacant land is developed and the region experiences growth, school districts will be hard pressed to find appropriate new sites for facilities. At the same time, both jurisdictions tax the same constituents, which makes increased collaboration imperative. serving educators in the seven - county metro area rtCyCIpd paper Page 34