Steering committee members were asked to consider the research and data they received through the Smart Investments process on what works at what costs, and then each member was given $1 billion to invest in the areas they had reviewed.

This is a photo gallery of the meeting and the steering committee members investing their $1 billion on programs with proven results.


Click on photos for larger view.



Representing students on the SIMS steering committee, Maureen Cisneros is a member of the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

Dr. Robert Johnson is an award-winning professor who teaches at St. Cloud State University.

Former chair of the Senate Education Committee, Steve Kelley is a senior fellow at the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota.

A former senior legislative analyst for the Minnesota Rural Education Association, Vernae Hasbargen represented advocates on the SIMS steering committee.













Investments opportunities were divided into categories and steering committee members were given instructions on how they could invest their money.














After the exercise was complete, Growth & Justice staff counted the currency and reported back to the group.














SIMS steering committee members Don Schuld, an assistant superintendent for the Stillwater School District and special education advocate (left), and Jerry Halverson, a senior faculty member at Cappella University (right), go over their figures.