Research clearly documents that the quality children’s educational outcomes depends in large part on the quality of the classroom teacher. Finland is an example of a nation that has invested in its teacher quality for the past 20 years, restricted entrance to teacher colleges, and respects teachers like doctors, lawyers and other esteemed professionals. England is a country that has … Read More
Accountability and World’s Best Work Force
A combination of a need to create a highly educated workforce to maintain Minnesota’s edge in economics and the political necessity to not be seen as weak on accountability with the elimination of the GRAD rule, House K-12 Education Finance Chairman Marquart authored pursued with the determination to get the World’s Best Work Force (WBW) enacted into law. Where do … Read More
High School to Post Secondary Transition
Where do we stand? Minnesota enacted in 2013 systemic changes designed to make Minnesota’s young adults career and college ready and have as much as possible of that work accomplished before they graduate from high school.While the popular focus was on repealing the GRAD rule, the policy changes are twofold: Align the K-12 system with post-secondary college and career readiness … Read More
MREA Uncovers Early Learning Issues
The Legislature and current administration are conceiving and enacting policies that students move along a continuum of educational growth and opportunity from early childhood through post-secondary schooling, although not necessarily four year college. In hearings and in hallways, legislators and staffers are using words like “readiness,” “systems alignment,” “workforce development,” “seamless transitions,” and “early intervention” when speaking of education. In … Read More
MREA Digs Into Early Learning Scholarships
MREA released today a map of the 169 school districts that were eligible to submit applications for Early Learning Phase II scholarships to facilitate program planning and to ensure availability of services to children during the year. This type of scholarship is designed to enhance program services and serve more children in the community. These school districts and the Four … Read More
MREA Releases Map of “Donut Hole” Districts
MREA released a map today showing where the districts are that do not qualify for Location Equity Revenue (LER) and are left in the “Donut Hole” between Small Schools Revenue (SSR) and LER. All of these 132 districts with 147,000 students are in Greater Minnesota. View the interactive map. School districts with 600-999 kids would do better financially with the … Read More
School Facilities Financing Work Identifies Inequity
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist The 2013 E-12 bill called on the Minnesota Department of Education to pull together a work group to look at current school facility financing programs. At the first meeting in late August, the work group reviewed the state of the current programs, identified inequity in funding, and outlined a series of issues to consider. Tom … Read More
Unfinished Business: Filling in the Donut Hole
By Sam Walseth, MREA Lobbyist Two “dark of night” decisions created what looks like a glaring inequity in how much money school districts get. School finance is complicated and it was made more so in 2011 with the creation of Small Schools Revenue (SSR) and in the 2013 bill with the creation of Location Equity Revenue (LER). The rational and … Read More
Apply for Innovation Award
Is your school innovating to improve services or reduce the cost of local government? If so, share your innovation for a chance to win $10,000 and a professional video highlighting your effort. The Local Government Innovation Award will recognize the creative ways counties, cities, and schools are making Minnesota better and doing things differently. All types of local government innovation are … Read More
State Summit on American Indian Students this Month
MDE and the Midwest Comprehensive Center have invited MREA members to a free Conference on Minnesota’s American Indian Students on Sept. 23 at Madden’s Resort in Brainerd. The Minnesota American Indian Summit will focus on best practices, data and partnerships in American Indian Student Education. This is an excellent opportunity for public school educators serving AMI students to learn from … Read More