Twin Cities districts scrambling to find more teachers as school start looms
If need be, schools will deploy backup plans that range from expanding class sizes to employing long-term substitute teachers to help bridge critical gaps in staffing.
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Education
Push to increase ‘educational attainment’ in Minnesota reveals stark racial disparities
Four years ago, lawmakers set a goal to dramatically increase the proportion of Minnesota adults who hold any sort of postsecondary educational qualification. Yet progress has been slow.
Ten candidates, four seats: A preview of the St. Paul school board race
Both incumbents seeking re-election, Zuki Ellis and Steve Marchese, along with challenger Chauntyll Allen, have secured endorsements from the DFL Party and local teachers union.
School bus driver shortage persists, prompting new recruitment strategies
Minneapolis Public Schools launched a hands-on training program in June, in an effort to combat a continued bus driver shortage that’s impacted districts all across the state in recent years.
How the University of Alaska — and other public U.S. universities — now struggle for funding
The higher education world has been rocked by the news that the University of Alaska’s state appropriations were slashed by nearly $136 million, 41% of its general fund appropriation to the university.
Pipeline to develop ethnic teachers has scholarships, an affinity group, evening hours — and open seats
Diversifying the teacher corps is widely accepted as a key lever in addressing the state’s wide, persistent achievement gap.
Illinois parents are giving up custody of their kids to get need-based college financial aid
“It’s a scam,” said Andy Borst, director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Wealthy families are manipulating the financial aid process to be eligible for financial aid they would not be otherwise eligible for.”
The Jeremiah Program, a national leader in addressing intergenerational poverty, continues to expand
The Jeremiah Program supports low-income, single, working mothers in pursuit of career advancement through higher education. Groundbreaking for its latest outpost, in Rochester, is scheduled to take place next week.
International students in Minnesota face uncertainty amid work authorization slowdown
Graduating seniors can apply for work authorization no earlier than 90 days before they obtain their degree. But with wait times of up to five months, some have had to decline jobs they’d hoped to start this summer.
‘They just saw me as a dollar sign’: How some certificate schools profit from vulnerable students
When government turns a blind eye, for-profit colleges fail to fulfill promise of a fast path to a new career and leave students in debt.
A tale of two school districts: How open enrollment is playing out in Greater Minnesota
During the 2016-2017 school year, about 25,000 students open-enrolled into “rural” districts, a recent study found, while about 15,000 students open-enrolled into “regional centers.”
U of M Rochester: Achievement gap closed, one chancellor asks, ‘Why aren’t we all doing this?’
With a strong support system and a partnership with the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota Rochester has students from different backgrounds graduating at similar rates.
From pushback to engagement: How Minnesota school districts have reacted to being flagged for discipline disparities
Anoka-Hennepin and one other district have refused to enter an agreement with the Department of Human Rights, while 41 are in a formal process to identify and address disparities.
What does Minnesota’s new special-ed aid mean for districts with the largest shortfalls?
For some districts shouldering the largest special education cross-subsidy expenses the new special education aid is too little, too late.
Universities that are recruiting older students often leave them floundering
Students 25 and older juggle jobs, kids and bills without the support many say they need.
Rep. Omar, alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, releases student-debt cancellation bill
Omar’s portion of the package directs the Department of Education to cancel all student loans taken out since 1965 within 180 days of the bill being signed.
What a group of Minneapolis teachers is looking to learn from Somaliland’s acclaimed Abaarso School
The idea to visit the school came to Badri Mohamoud, a student teacher at Wellstone, as he worked on a final research project for his master’s program at Augsburg University.
Black, female education leaders in Minnesota find affirmation and support
While working in a predominantly white, male landscape, this group of female African-American Ph.D. holders have all prioritized spending time together.
It’s getting harder for low-income students to afford college, though Minnesota shows hopeful trends
Minnesota is one of about a dozen states trending in a positive direction. But the price tag is still too high for low-income students at most of the state’s two- and four-year schools.
On ways to boost student success in Minnesota: A Q&A with Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker
Now that she’s had a few months to settle into her new role — a whirlwind that included a number of listening sessions in school districts across the state — MinnPost sat down with Ricker at the Department of Education to hear about her vision for Minnesota students and schools.
