If your school is struggling to meet challenges posed by a growing teacher shortage, plan to attend MREA’s 2016 Annual Conference: Making Teaching Matter. Breakout session presenters will showcase successful ways to adapt teacher recruitment efforts and to keep your teachers engaged and committed for the long term. Making Teaching Matter will offer nearly 40 sessions in total and provide ample networking and development opportunities for … Read More
1,000 Teachers One Step Closer to Loan Forgiveness
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) expects to provide about 1,000 teachers a check for $1,000 in loan repayment by Dec. 31. The funding stems from a new program established by the Legislature that will provide $1 million this year and another $850,000 each of the next two fiscal years. The loan forgiveness program is among the strategies being … Read More
MREA Announces 2016 Educators of Excellence
MREA announced today the 2016 Educators of Excellence for Greater Minnesota. MREA will recognize the 2016 honorees at its Annual Awards Banquet on Nov. 14 at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd. The awards banquet will be held in conjunction with MREA’s Annual Conference on Making Teaching Matter. It also will include honoring the 2016 Profiles of Excellence. Learn more and register. 2016 … Read More
Report Encourages Rural Education to Capitalize on Assets
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recently released a report on the challenges and issues facing rural schools. This was a follow up to a 2004 study by NASBE and asked: what has changed in ten years, and what are new challenges facing state level policy makers? The report identified key issues facing rural education: High percentage … Read More
Missed Opportunities: No Special Session
After several rounds of negotiations this summer, Minnesota legislative leaders and Governor Mark Dayton failed to reach an agreement on terms for a special session that could have produced a bonding bill and a package of tax cuts. The straw that broke the camel’s back was non-federal matching funds for the Southwest Light Rail line between downtown Minneapolis and Eden … Read More
Explore Professional Growth at Annual Conference
More than 10 breakout sessions at MREA’s 2016 Annual Conference: Making Teaching Matter will explore different strategies for educators’ continuing professional and personal growth. Making Teaching Matter will offer more than 35 sessions total and provide plenty of networking and development opportunities for teachers, administrators, school board members and other education professionals. Learn more and register. “Professional Development and Support” Sessions These sessions will focus … Read More
MDE Invites Applications for Expanded Student Broadband Access
The Minnesota Department of Education invites applications from Minnesota public school districts, charter schools and education districts for projects that expand broadband access for students under the 2016 Laws of Minnesota, chapter 189, article 30, sections 24-25. Applicants may apply for a Broadband Expansion Off-Campus Learning Grant and, if eligible to receive general education transportation sparsity revenue under Minnesota Statutes, … Read More
Voluntary Pre-K Funding Supports MREA Members
Forty-two MREA member districts will receive funding for the new Voluntary Pre-K starting this fall. Another 70 MREA member districts applied for funding approved last session by the Legislature and were not sufficiently eligible to receive funding. In all, this program will provide 3,302 Minnesota four-year olds access to free, voluntary pre-kindergarten. The 2016 Legislature reserved 41 percent of the $25 million … Read More
Minnesota Rural Schools Improve Science Performance
A regional analysis of the 2016 MCA test results in math, reading and science, released today by MREA, shows an increase in science proficiency across Minnesota’s rural schools. Rural science achievement improved with 2.4 percent more Greater Minnesota students in grades 5, 8 and demonstrating proficiency. This improvement was twice the metro improvement of 1.2 percent and exceeded the statewide … Read More
Conference Sessions Explore Reimagining Teaching
Breakout sessions at MREA’s 2016 Annual Conference: Making Teaching Matter will explore different aspects of reimagining the teaching profession. Making Teaching Matter will offer more than 35 sessions total and provide plenty of networking and development opportunities for teachers, administrators, school board members and other education professionals. Register online. “Reimagining the Profession” Sessions Seven breakout sessions will focus on the theme of reimagining the … Read More