Reflections on hopes and dreams deferred after Brown v. Board of Education
Twin Cities residents who lived it tell of their experiences before, during and after the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision to desegregate schools.
Beth Hawkins
Beth Hawkins covered education and other public-policy topics for MinnPost from its launch in 2007 to October of 2015, when she left to write for Education Post, a nonprofit based in Chicago.
Education advocates embroiled in an 11th-hour battle over post-secondary ‘gag rule’
The legislative argument hinges on how much high-school students should be told about their cost-saving Post-Secondary Enrollment Options.
Anne Sullivan students help prep 4 teachers for trip to Somalia
The kids can scarcely believe that their teachers are interested enough in their roots to make the not-so-easy trip, and to blog about it while they are there.
Charter schools fear ‘closure clause’ will jeopardize ability to rent space
Frank Stucki worries that a seemingly small change in state law will endanger the charter school he founded by making the terms of its lease unpalatable.
Prepping teachers for challenging classrooms: A Q&A with the U of M’s Deborah Dillon
On Friday the Board of Teaching will vote on a first-of-its-kind Alternative Pathway to Teaching Program, which includes a partnership between the U of M and TFA.
MPS looks to Oakland model to work differently with African-American boys
During the four years that black boys have had “an advocate and an agitator,” Oakland schools have reduced suspensions by 50 percent.
Dayton speech’s education elements: a political Rorschach test
For public-education advocates, there was something in it for any and all to latch on to as evidence that a second term as governor would be good for their policy agenda.
Good news (sort of) for Minnesota transfer teachers in licensing limbo
The new reciprocity rules come with a big caveat, however: There are few people to process the requests, and teacher applicants have been warned that it will “take time.”
A bittersweet victory at Lucy Laney Community School
Just as Principal Mauri Melander’s team-teaching experiment is beginning to yield great results, budget realities sink in.
Minneapolis schools lauded for equity impact assessments
The nonprofit Race Forward is showcasing the effort as a success story and is offering other communities the tools to replicate it.
Just 10 candidates vying for 5 MPS board seats so far; forum April 24
Half the candidates are running for two at-large board seats that will be filled by the top two vote-getters; another two are running unopposed.
Obama’s education legacy bid: helping young men of color
The nation’s first African American president is energizing advocates and educators with his talk about young black men.
LEAPs Act calls for sea change in thinking about language skills and teaching
Advocates say Minnesota’s prosperity rests on seeing multilingualism as a tremendous asset.
Usual education allies could be put at odds as House, Senate prepare to reconcile priorities
Long-sought items on education advocates’ wish lists could end up competing with each other as the session nears an end.
Dayton’s signature caps long-fought effort to curb bullying in schools
For the bill’s worrier in chief, Mankato State professor Walter Roberts, it was a long route to Wednesday’s moment on the Capitol steps.
Widespread approval greets MPS board’s OK of new contract with teachers
“This agreement is an example of how much we can accomplish if we sit down and treat each other with mutual respect,” said Alberto Monserrate.
‘Rising action’ gets real at Spring Break Academy
Call this humanities in action. As the class flies up the stairs, Mr. Strecker is delivering a lesson in the structure of story.
Statewide teacher evaluations won’t be delayed after all
Every teacher in Minnesota will be evaluated starting in the 2014-2015 school year as planned.
Are Minnesota’s teacher-prep programs leaving too many graduates unprepared?
At 18 of Minnesota’s 33 teacher preparation programs fewer than three-fourths of graduates passed all three of the basic skills tests required to secure a license to teach.
Outlook is bleak for student-teacher bill, more early-ed aid
The single most important agenda item at the state Capitol right now: the 2014 election.
