Minnesota Department of Education Review & Comment Part I: Getting Started
Is your District planning a construction project? Do you think you will consider a construction project in the next 5 years? If so, then you may find yourself needing to prepare and submit a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Review & Comment. What is a Review & Comment? How do you know if your project requires a Review & Comment? This blog post is the first of two that will help you succeed in getting a positive Review & Comment by the Minnesota Department of Education. This first installment gives an overview of the Review & Comment, what is required for the submission, and who should be responsible for preparing the various submission components. As educational architects, we have walked through the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) Review & Comment process multiple times with schools and districts. From our experience, our clients are often aware of the requirement to submit a Review & Comment (R&C), but the details of the process are unclear and intimidating for first-time submitters. This blog post is written to help you determine your next steps in the R&C submission process, to give an overview of R&C requirements and who can best prepare those components, and to provide you with tips for a successful submission. What is a Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Review & Comment and do I need to submit one? When a school or school district is undergoing a significant construction, the Minnesota Department of Education requires that the school entity submit information about the proposed project, including plans, financing, and the benefits of the project, to the Commissioner for review; the Commissioner returns the submission to the entity with positive, negative, or unfavorable comments. Thus, the name Review & Comment was derived. The Minnesota Department of Education states that a school district “must not […]