Hopkins board approves resolution urging paid family-engagement leave and a district family-engagement plan

The Hopkins Public School Board on Aug. 19 passed a resolution calling on local municipalities and the Minnesota Legislature to create policies guaranteeing up to 16 hours of paid leave annually for caregivers to participate in school-related activities and directing district administration to produce a districtwide family-engagement plan.

The resolution, introduced by board member Brooke Roper, frames caregiver participation as central to student success and community health. Roper described attendance and engagement gaps and said barriers such as work schedules and unpaid time off limit participation by many low-income and historically underserved families. “Family engagement is one of the strongest predictors of student success,” she said during the meeting.

Board members debated implementation pathways and coalition-building approaches before the vote. Supporters framed the measure as an invitational, not mandatory, step that asks businesses and cities to partner with schools. Treasurer Hartland noted the proposal’s long horizon and compared it to previous district-led policy efforts, saying adoption likely will require multi-year advocacy and collaboration across jurisdictions and with organizations such as the Minnesota School Boards Association.

Administrators told the board the resolution would lead the district to develop measurable family-partnership goals at both district and site levels and to seek partnerships with community organizations, employers and local government to reduce attendance and engagement barriers. Superintendent Mary Perry Reid said such a plan could help the district tailor outreach and remove practical barriers to participation.

The board approved the measure by roll call. The resolution directs the superintendent’s office to report back with a plan and encouraged the board to promote the initiative through the district’s Legislative Action Coalition and other community partners. The resolution’s passage does not create an immediate paid-leave mandate for businesses but establishes Hopkins’ official support for policies and local ordinances to do so.

Next steps: district staff will convene stakeholders and draft a family-engagement plan with site- and district-level goals; the board expects follow-up discussion and proposals for community and legislative outreach in coming months.