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Finalist says equity, student voice and culturally proficient practice would guide ISD 191 leadership
Summary
Tyrone Brookens told board members he would center decisions on equity, student voice and a culturally proficient school system, and said his view of equity expanded when he moved between districts and roles.
Tyrone Brookens, a finalist for superintendent, told the Burnsville‑Eagan‑Savage School Board that he would “lead with an equity lens” and prioritize students’ needs, relationships and culturally proficient practices.
Brookens said equity, to him, means “getting individuals what they need” and that his understanding broadened across roles and districts to include race, disability, language and other dimensions. He recommended learning from community members and “leaning into curiosity” rather than shutting down concerns.
Why it matters: equity frameworks and how a superintendent implements them affect discipline policies, curriculum choices, student supports and how families experience district schools.
Brookens described a combination of approaches: listening to lived experience, adopting a “transformative dialogue” approach that creates safer spaces grounded in relationships, respect and response, and translating equity work into action. He said some community conversations about equity may not end in agreement but should expand mutual understanding.
He also tied equity to accountability and measurement, saying leaders should set and revisit benchmarks. Brookens identified culturally proficient school system implementation as a component he had not found fully evident in the district’s public‑facing documents and said he would examine how that work has been actualized.
No board action followed from the interview; the candidate described intentions for priority setting if appointed.
