120.0111 Mission statement. 

    The mission of public education in Minnesota, a system for 
 lifelong learning, is to ensure individual academic achievement, 
 an informed citizenry, and a highly productive work force.  This 
 system focuses on the learner, promotes and values diversity, 
 provides participatory decision making, ensures accountability, 
 models democratic principles, creates and sustains a climate for 
 change, provides personalized learning environments, encourages 
 learners to reach their maximum potential, and integrates and 
 coordinates human services for learners.  The public schools of 
 this state shall serve the needs of the students by cooperating 
 with the students' parents and legal guardians to develop the 
 students' intellectual capabilities and lifework skills in a 
 safe and positive environment.  It is part of the department's 
 mission that within the department's resources the commissioner 
 shall endeavor to: 

    (1) prevent the waste or unnecessary spending of public 
 money; 

    (2) use innovative fiscal and human resource practices to 
 manage the state's resources and operate the department as 
 efficiently as possible; 

    (3) coordinate the department's activities wherever 
 appropriate with the activities of other governmental agencies; 

    (4) use technology where appropriate to increase agency 
 productivity, improve customer service, increase public access 
 to information about government, and increase public 
 participation in the business of government; 

    (5) utilize constructive and cooperative labor-management 
 practices to the extent otherwise required by chapters 43A and 
 179A; 

    (6) include specific objectives in the performance report 
 required under section 15.91 to increase the efficiency of 
 agency operations, when appropriate; and 

    (7) recommend to the legislature, in the performance report 
 of the department required under section 15.91, appropriate 
 changes in law necessary to carry out the mission of the 
 department. 

    HIST: 1991 c 265 art 7 s 1; 1995 c 248 art 11 s 9; 1Sp1997 c 4 
 art 7 s 2