Jake Klingner

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Four-year Candidate: Jake Klingner (incumbent)

Posted: October 2, 2023

Jake KlingnerWhy do you want to serve on the ISD 199 School Board?
I want to continue serving on the school board because I believe in public education. We have to ensure educational opportunities for all students, regardless of where they come from or the beliefs they come to school with. School districts serve all residents from birth to end of life with the services we provide. I will work to protect and strengthen our schools so that all children get the opportunities they need to succeed in life. I can’t think of a more important act of service than serving on my school board, right here in my hometown.


What experience do you bring to this position?
I am a lifelong resident of Inver Grove Heights, which gives me historical perspective and a vision of where we might go. I am the proud parent of two students in our schools, which gives me the insight of what is happening in our system. This is also my 18th year as a public school educator, with K-12 experience, including administrative and teacher leadership experience. These experiences have provided me with a broad set of skills that make me uniquely qualified to actively participate in discussions, especially regarding school policy and finance. I do not think I am the only qualified candidate solely because I am a teacher, however I do believe that my teaching background provides a unique and vitally important perspective in the board room.


What are the most important issues concerning the Inver Grove Heights School District and how would you address them?
I try to answer all questions regarding my work in education by first asking “What’s best for kids?” Inver Grove Heights is not immune to hyper-politicized issues we see and hear about in the news at the state and national level. An issue I see right now in this election is outside groups influencing candidates and voters to support an agenda that would dismantle public education and answer the question “What’s best for parents?”

Specifically at issue is the way concepts of equality and equity are put at odds with each other, instead of being two things that work separately, and then how those concepts are communicated to residents who were last students themselves 20, 30, or more years ago. There are times for equality (equal access to opportunity) and times for equity (individualized supports to ensure access to opportunity). It is important to recognize that certain groups have not ever had equal or equitable access to opportunity, and as a member of the school board, it is my job to enact policy that would create equitable conditions for all students.

A second issue is communication with the residents of ISD 199 about the successes we see in our system AND the rationale for asking for support in the form of a referendum this fall. When 80% of our residents don’t have children in our schools, it can be a difficult ask when requesting more support. However, the truth is that people move into, and out of, districts based on the opportunities they provide for their students. I want ISD 199 to be local leaders with the opportunities we can provide to our students: high-caliber academics; safe, inclusive environments for social and emotional development; and practical, hands-on experiences with career opportunities. I support this by listening to district leaders and community members, asking questions during work sessions and in committee, and working with the rest of the board to broadly influence the direction of the district through our work as a governing body.