2008 News

Student testing: Scores climb in reading; lagging math scores trouble educators

7/3/2008 4:41:55 PM

Megan Boldt and MaryJo Webster, Pioneer Press
MCAs improve, but not enough... Achievement Gaps remain

One Bad Deal

6/28/2008 9:27:11 AM

John Van Hecke, Minnesota 2020 Journal
Last week, responding to my kohlrabi column, my colleague Lee Egerstrom observed that anything drenched in enough sour cream, horseradish and dill will be edible. With that in mind, I'd like to reconsider the single most significant legislative act of the past ten years: Governor Pawlenty's 2003 biennial budget and revenue restructuring deal.

Schools get poor marks for readying kids for work force, poll finds

6/28/2008 5:21:16 PM

Nancy Zuckerbrod and Trevor Tompson, Associated Press (Star Tribune) WASHINGTON - It's not much of a report card. Half of Americans say U.S. schools are doing only a fair to poor job preparing kids for college and the work force. Even more feel that way about the skills kids need to survive as adults, an Associated Press poll released Friday finds.

Dakota County / Schools tighten their belts

6/28/2008 2:59:24 PM

Maricella Miranda, Pioneer Press
Burnsville surplus an exception to projected deficits. Fewer teachers, more expensive activity fees and depleted savings are part of the upcoming school year's financial outlook for south metro school districts — and it could get worse.

Pawlenty visits EP Chamber, touts education reforms

6/28/2008 5:26:20 PM

Leah Shaffer, Eden Prairie News
“I believe that the disruptive effects of technology are about to be visited into education to a degree and in a manner that is going to mimic the way that technology has invaded and destroyed and recreated entire sectors of our economy already,” [Governor Tim Pawlenty].

Higher Education: The Importance of Investing in Our State

6/28/2008 11:47:06 AM

Joe Radosevich, Minnesota 2020
With bridges in bad shape from Winona to Duluth, and strapped school districts across Minnesota, it is important to remember we have a lot to celebrate too. Minnesota's comprehensive network of accessible state colleges and universities is a system we cherish, and shows the vital importance of investing in our state and building on what we already have.

Low-income student growth has impact on college participation

6/28/2008 12:02:40 PM

Minnesota Private Colleges
While the low-income population has been growing, Minnesota has seen a dip in the likelihood that these students will go to college. ...If low-income student participation rates remain low while the percent of students coming from low-income families continues to increase, Minnesota will feel the impact.

'Diploma Counts' Brings Clarity to Achievement Gap, Education Needs

6/28/2008 9:50:45 AM

John Fitzgerald, Minnesota 2020
The key to Minnesota's future is an effective workforce. The key to creating this workforce is education, and a quality education requires coordination between early education, K-12 and higher education institutions. It also requires a cure for the achievement gap, which keeps a quality education away from some students.

Nearly 90 percent of 9th graders pass writing test

6/28/2008 3:30:50 PM

Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio
State education officials say nearly 90 percent of this year's 9th graders passed a writing exam required for high school graduation. St. Paul, Minn. — This was the second year 9th grade students took the test known as the Writing Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma. This year's passing rate of 89.5 percent was a slight decrease from 90.8 percent in 2007.

Voting to raise taxes

6/16/2008 9:32:14 AM

David Seitz, TC Daily Planet
“As a parent, your first thought is ‘I don’t care about state funding and unfunded mandates, I don’t want excuses, I just want it to be fixed,‘” said Courtney Cushing Kiernat, a Minneapolis Public Schools parent. She was skeptical of the district after class size went up, but now she’s co-chairing the effort to pass a referendum increasing school funding.

The Student Credit Squeeze Percolates Up

6/16/2008 6:51:06 AM

John Fitzgerald, Minnesota 2020
The nation's biggest banks are putting the squeeze on students at small colleges. This policy may cut off higher education access to students who need it most.

Yellow Flagging Reading Test Results

6/28/2008 9:42:25 AM

John Van Hecke, Minnesota 2020 Journal
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Education gleefully released the state's sophomore graduation reading standard test results. 75% met the requirement, a fact that the department fell all over itself announcing. Clearly, it was victory lap moment for Commissioner Alice Seagren and the department.

Democrats Offer Plans to Revamp Schools Law

6/16/2008 6:53:34 AM

Sam Dillon, New York Times
Democrats are dividing into camps as they debate a new course for education policy after President Bush leaves office.

Bush Loyalist Fights Foes of ‘No Child’ Law

6/12/2008 6:02:44 AM

Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times
NEWPORT, Ky. — Margaret Spellings is not running for office — at least, not yet. But in the waning days of the Bush presidency, she is running one last campaign.

To solve racial disparities, parents, schools call truce

6/16/2008 9:20:54 AM

Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio
Minneapolis schools are hoping a new cooperative agreement with African-American parents will smooth some of the hard feelings over school closings last year and help close the district's student achievement gap.

Minneapolis school board, black leaders look to make talk action

6/16/2008 9:55:16 AM

Terry Collins, Star Tribune
The finger-pointing, raised voices, suspicion and outright distrust reached a tipping point that called desperately for a resolution. Now, a group of black community leaders and the Minneapolis public schools are poised to sign an agreement that commits them to search together for those solutions.

Minnesota students improve on must-pass reading exam

6/10/2008 10:50:15 AM

Megan Boldt, Pioneer Press
But racial gap remains, and schools rush to help 10th-graders falling short

Power up laptops, but don't unplug schools

6/10/2008 6:40:25 AM

Star Tribune Editorial
For growing numbers of Minnesota students, heading off to school doesn't mean boarding a bus, catching a ride or getting behind the wheel. Increasingly kids are simply hopping up out of bed and grabbing a laptop.

3 In 4 Minn. Sophomores Pass New Reading Tests

6/10/2008 7:17:28 AM

WCCO
ST. PAUL (AP) ― Three-quarters of Minnesota sophomores can begin their summer break knowing they've performed well enough on a state reading exam to satisfy a requirement for high school graduation.

Slumping Minnesota Job Market

6/12/2008 7:47:29 AM

Stacy Lilienthal, KAALTV
(KAAL) - Minnesota is no longer at the top when it comes to the economy and living conditions. For six years one group has been crunching numbers comparing Minnesota to the rest of the nation. Minnesota is slipping in nearly all 12 categories including income, poverty, home ownership, education funding and student teacher ratios.

Group says Minnesota slipping toward mediocrity

6/12/2008 7:43:22 AM

Duluth News Tribune
Minnesota is slipping toward mediocrity as the state and local governments decrease their expenditures, according to a report released this week by the think tank Minnesota 2020.

Education officials say new science test is a success

6/5/2008 1:39:04 PM

Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio
St. Paul, Minn. — State education officials are calling a pioneering new science test a success.

Minnesota's graduation rate is among highest in the United States

6/5/2008 2:24:24 PM

Norman Draper, Star Tribune
At a time when educators nationwide are working to improve graduation rates by raising the mandatory school attendance age, a new study shows that Minnesota's graduation rate is among the highest in the country.... The study also confirms the education chasm between Minnesota's white and minority students. Smaller percentages of minority students graduate from high school than the national average.

Prior Lake-Savage school board debates ballot requests

6/5/2008 3:19:32 PM

Emily Johns, Star Tribune
Silence filled the room of Prior Lake-Savage school board members when Chairwoman Lee Shimek asked, one more time, how much more money per pupil did they think voters would approve come November.

Report: 'Less investment, less return'

6/5/2008 2:26:14 PM

Pat Doyle, Star Tribune
Minnesota has slipped behind other states in employment and personal income in recent years as it spent less on education and other government programs, according to a report released Wednesday by a St. Paul think tank.

Hastings / Voters again reject bonding

6/5/2008 7:39:28 AM

Bao Ong, Pioneer Press
School district sought cash for building repairs

Study: Minn. ranks at bottom for black graduation rate

6/5/2008 1:08:34 PM

Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio
A new study of nationwide graduation rates shows Minnesota now ranks last among the states for the percent of black students that get high school diplomas.

Death by Paper Cuts

6/5/2008 9:57:05 AM

John Fitzgerald, Minnesota 2020
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is killing public education in Minnesota with a thousand paper cuts.

African American Community Covenant seeks school change

6/16/2008 9:39:43 AM

Ariah Fine, TC Daily Planet
The African American Mobilization for Education sees two specific problems in the Minneapolis Public Schools: African American children aren’t being properly educated and the African American community hasn’t been given a voice and opportunity to collaborate to help address this crisis. To address these problems, the AAME proposes a Covenant between the community and the school board.

Board forum a soapbox for anyone but us, teachers say

6/5/2008 7:47:55 AM

Doug Belden, Pioneer Press
Employees perceive signs from higher-ups to keep quiet at meetings

Hastings / Schools ask voters for $12M for repairs

6/5/2008 7:36:33 AM

Bao Ong, Pioneer Press
Referendum proposal scaled down after voters' rejection last fall

Gender Only One Factor in Student Achievement

6/5/2008 8:02:31 AM

John Fitzgerald, Minnesota 2020
A new report re-opens a long-simmering debate, suggesting that the gender gap between male and female students can be bridged by assigning teachers to students of the same gender. It's not that simple, say Minnesota educators.

ACGC operating levy passes by 103 votes

5/22/2008 9:33:39 AM

Carolyn Lange, West Central Tribune
GROVE CITY – For the first time since 2005, voters in the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District approved an operating levy.

Lawmakers Giveth, Oil Companies Taketh Away

6/5/2008 8:06:11 AM

John Fitzgerald, Minnesota 2020
Joe Brown, superintendent of Grand Meadow Public Schools, calls the situation a "good news, bad news" scenario: State lawmakers last week found one-time, $51 per student in extra money for the 2008-09 school year. Brown figures this will net his small, southern Minnesota district about $18,000.

$11.5 million bond passes in St-Anthony-New Brighton

5/22/2008 8:30:21 AM

Norman Draper, Star Tribune
St. Anthony-New Brighton schools got their wish for $11.5 million to fix the most severe maintenance problems.

Chatfield School Board compromises, will keep teacher

5/22/2008 9:04:13 AM

Laura Gossman, Rochester Post-Bulletin
CHATFIELD - When Chatfield High School teacher Adam Archer's job was on the line, the first to come to his aid were his own students.

The real reward for teaching

5/22/2008 9:17:28 AM

Michelle Miron, Press Publications
Seize the Day
Being a teacher must be one of the most grueling and thankless jobs there is, I frequently thought as I saw my mom collapse into the La-Z-Boy chair every day after work.

Bemidji School Board: Staff reduction decided

5/22/2008 8:48:06 AM

Michelle Ruckdaschel, Bemidji Pioneer
The library paraprofessionals at the Bemidji School District’s six elementary schools are on track to keeping their jobs for the next school year.

Voter turnout heavy for school bond referendum

5/22/2008 9:31:41 AM

Jeff Cagle, Owatonna People’s Press
OWATONNA - Royal Staver rarely goes out of his way to display homemade signs on election day. Wednesday, however, was the exception.

McLeod West budget cuts offset by loss of students

5/22/2008 9:27:52 AM

Lori Copler, McLeod County Chronicle
So far, McLeod West has $590,212 in expenditure reductions on the table, trying to find its way out of debt.