“Minnesota schools not closing the achievement gap” read the front page headline in the Star Tribune last week. The article went on to imply that districts were failing to meet the World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) law and that some districts’ funding could be in jeopardy in the 2017-18 school year. Read the Star Tribune article. MREA Executive Director Fred Nolan … Read More
Senate E-12 Committee Reviews Early Childhood Scholarships
The Senate E-12 committee last week reviewed an evaluation report from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) on early childhood scholarships in terms of their efficiency, funding distribution and impact on readiness and student growth. View the full report. After many years of piloting the program, the legislature created the Early Learning Scholarships Program in 2013 (MS 124D.165). The scholarships aim to … Read More
Groups Call for Broadband Investment for Rural Areas
A recent meeting hosted by the Blandin Foundation revealed a pressing need to educate legislators on the urgency of gaining funding for rural broadband expansion, grow legislative support and create a more permanent coalition of advocacy groups. The meeting comes as a state task force calls for investment this legislative session to bring much needed Internet service to rural areas and … Read More
Pension Commission Approves New Mortality Assumptions
The Pension Commission approved the new mortality assumptions—teachers on average are living two years longer. School organizations testified the proposed 1 percent increase in Employer TRA contributions be covered with an increase in state aid to school districts. The mortality assumption changes are effective immediately. View the Star Tribune article. The Minnesota Teachers Retirement Association provided this thorough report of the meeting: … Read More
MDE Releases Results of Early Learning Survey
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) released late last week the results of its early learning opportunities survey of communities across the state. The report highlights several areas of concerns to address before the state facilitates the expansion of quality early learning. A major area of concern revolves around staff availability, largely due to low compensation and lack of available and … Read More
DFL Calls for Broadband Funding and Ag2School Credits
The House DFL leadership last week announced a plan to fund Greater Minnesota, including two high priority education needs: high-speed broadband Internet expansion and Ag2School tax credits. MREA members identified both of these as top issues for the 2016 legislative session that convenes March 8. This package includes $100 million for high-speed broadband Internet access to rural parts of the state, $50 million in agriculture … Read More
MREA to Speak on Ag2School in Maple River
MREA Executive Director Fred Nolan will speak to farmers and other community members of Maple River on the upcoming legislative session this week at a community meeting organized by the school district. Nolan will share how upcoming legislation could affect the school district and agricultural land taxes. He will outline the Ag2School tax credit aimed at helping address the facility … Read More
Proposed Achievement and Integration Rules Drew Two Days of Intense Testimony
Minnesota’s revision of the Integration Rules drew a full house at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) last week for two days of intense testimony. MREA joined a group of articulate and passionate testifiers ranging from law professors, high school students and advocates to parents, teachers and administrators. Among the issues raised were: Should the primary goal be achievement … Read More
Next Steps Following Passage of ESSA
In several settings Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius has said she will be calling together a broad work group of educational stakeholders to consider changes to Minnesota’s accountability plan given the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In some conversations, she has talked of large scale changes and at other times about modest changes so things are … Read More
Star Tribune Publishes Series on Growing Rural-Metro Divide
The Star Tribune published part one in a three-part series on the growing rural-urban divide, called “Better Together.” The first set of articles focuses on signs of the widening gap. View the series. The Star Tribune reports that the divide is widening in Minnesota in key measures of age, income educational attainment, race and culture and those gaps threaten the … Read More