Rural Minnesota is facing shrinking populations, placing challenges on schools districts. While overall Minnesota population grew 2.9 percent from 2010-2014, 41 Minnesota counties declined in population—all of them rural counties. Find your county’s population change. In general, Minnesota mirrors the nation as a whole. The USDA has shed light on the reasons for this national rural to metro trend and migration plays a … Read More
Limited Spots Available for Conference Registration
Time is running out to register for MREA’s Annual Conference Nov. 15-17 at Cragun’s Resort. Register for Limited Remaining Spots A limited number of spots are still available for Great Beginnings: When Learning Starts Early, Inspires and Applies. Register now before it’s too late or before procrastinator rates kick in. The conference starts on a weekend so participants can arrive late … Read More
Minnesota Calls Higher Learning Commission to Reconsider Dual-Credit Change
In a packed hearing room Thursday in St. Paul, the House and Senate Higher Education Committees held a joint hearing to address the newly required regulation by the Higher Learning Commission and its effects on students and teachers in concurrent enrollment in Minnesota. The Commission defended its position while more than 40 Minnesotans shared the value of the current program. HLC … Read More
Concurrent Enrollment Hearing Streamed Live Thursday
The Minnesota Joint Higher Education Hearing with the Higher Learning Commission on Oct. 8 will be streamed live on the House Media website, starting at 1 pm. (Scroll down the page to find in the lower right hand corner). The hearing will begin with a presentation by President Gellman-Danley of the Higher Learning Commission followed by discussion with state lawmakers and public testimony on the Commission’s recent decision … Read More
Voices and Views on Concurrent Enrollment
Inside Higher Ed Article (October 20, 2015) Sen. Franken’s Letter to Higher Learning Commission Grand Forks Herald Editorial Star Tribune Article Watchdog.com Article Minnesota Senator Carla Nelson’s Letter in Rochester Post-Bulletin Education Week Article (October 1, 2015) Education Week Article (October 13, 2015) MREA Executive Director Fred Nolan’s Letter to Star Tribune Center for School Change Joe Nathan’s Opinion Editorial Joe Nathan: College … Read More
MREA To Host Virtual Meetings on 3 Key Issues
MREA will host a series of “on-point” virtual meetings in the next few weeks to gain feedback on specific issues currently impacting our Greater Minnesota schools: early learning, teacher shortages, and school bond debt. Member feedback from the meetings will form the basis to build MREA’s Legislative Platform for the 2016 legislative session. Teachers, board members, and administrators are encouraged to participate. … Read More
MREA Announces 2016 Board Vacancies
MREA is now accepting nominations for six seats on the MREA Board of Directors, effective Jan. 1, 2016. Only individuals from MREA full membership districts in the corresponding zone may apply to serve and represent school districts in rural Minnesota. Submit your nomination.* Nominations must be submitted online and need to include a Statement of Interest that will accompany the ballot mailed to … Read More
Hearing Set on Concurrent Enrollment
A joint hearing on the recent changes to concurrent enrollment accessibility has been set for Oct. 8 in Minnesota. The Higher Learning Commission accepted the invitation from Minnesota’s Higher Education Committee Chairs Rep. Bud Nornes and Sen. Terri Bonoff. to come to Minnesota and explain the rule and their rationale. This Joint Meeting of the Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development … Read More
How Minnesota Got Here on Concurrent Enrollment
By Fred Nolan, PhD, MREA Executive Director Minnesota over the past 25 years has experienced both an explosion of K-12 teachers with general curriculum and instruction masters degrees and simultaneously an accelerating explosion of dual credit, concurrent courses in high schools taught by teachers with these masters degrees under the auspices and blessings of Minnesota’s public colleges and universities. In … Read More
Inside Concurrent Enrollment
Minnesota’s growing concurrent enrollment (dual-credit) programs for high school students to earn college credit while attending high school is being threatened by recent actions of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Commission is proposing new credentialing requirements for Minnesota’s secondary teachers to teach these college courses under the auspices of a college or university. Thanks to the work and advocacy of MREA … Read More