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A new Minnesota Miracle?
9/25/2008 12:00 AM

MPR Midday

St. Paul, Minn. — This year, state Democrats plan to push an education plan they're calling the "New Minnesota Miracle," which would increase school funding by $2.5 billion.

Gov. Pawlenty is also pushing his plan to improve the schools; his focus is on teacher performance pay and recruiting mid-career professionals to teach math and science.

Midday explores these proposals and what they'll mean for education in Minnesota.

Guests
Joe Nathan: Director, Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/25/midday1/?refid=0

Candidate Questions offered in the audio at 50:00+:

Gary Eichten:
All of the seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives are up for election this fall. What are some of the questions folks should pose to those candidates when they show up at the door?

Joe Nathan:
If you are going to be in the House, how will you vote on the proposal to increase the funding for public education by a couple of billion dollars?

How would you suggest that money be spent to have the most positive impact on students?

If you are in favor of more money for education, where would it come from?

What, beyonding spending more money, do you think needs to be done to improve public education?

What are you prepared to do as a Representative to help get more families involved in public education in your district?

What are you prepared to do to help build more partnerships between the businesses and the schools in your district?

If you are a state legislator, you are there from January through late May, what are you prepared to do between July and December to help improve public education when you're not at the legislature?