Tag Archives: education

April 28, 2015 · 8:19 am

MN Republicans say no to four-year-olds

Photo by Barnaby Wasson, published under Creative Commons license - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnabywasson/279911701/in/set-72157594345855838

Photo by Barnaby Wasson, published under Creative Commons license – https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnabywasson/279911701/in/set-72157594345855838

In the debate over universal preschool vs. targeted scholarships, the Minnesota legislature is just saying no. Governor Dayton proposed $348 million to create a free, all-day preschool program in public schools across Minnesota. The money would come from the two billion dollar budget surplus. Republican legislators said no. Instead of funding preschool, they want permanent tax cuts for businesses, permanent elimination of all estate taxes, and temporary tax cuts for individuals. Continue reading →

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April 27, 2015 · 6:56 am

Shortchanging Minnesota schools — and kids

school busWith an almost two billion dollar state budget surplus, you’d think we could do great things for kids. But no — the Minnesota legislature proposes per-pupil school funding increases that are lower than inflation. Again. As it has done for 20 years. Continue reading →

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February 3, 2015 · 8:25 am

Not there yet: Five ways MN preschool programs fall short

Photo by Barnaby Wasson, published under Creative Commons license - https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnabywasson/279911701/in/set-72157594345855838

Photo by Barnaby Wasson, published under Creative Commons license – https://www.flickr.com/photos/barnabywasson/279911701/in/set-72157594345855838

As Minnesotans congratulate ourselves on paying more attention to preschool, we need to face painful facts. We know a lot about what works to get children a fair start in school, and we are still far from providing or funding that fair start for poor children. Continue reading →

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February 11, 2012 · 2:15 pm

What education does Minnesota need?

When Steven Rosenstone, chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, spoke last week at the Compass annual meeting, he could have been mistaken for a Chamber of Commerce representative. I don’t mean that as a compliment. Continue reading →

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August 2, 2010 · 7:38 am

NEWS DAY | WikiLeaks, Afghan alfalfa / Islam, Tea Party and freedom / 19 Minnesota schools

Pentagon Papers and WikiLeaks – Frank Rich was writing for the Harvard Crimson and “knew the whistle-blower had to be Daniel Ellsberg” when the New York Times published the first installment of the Pentagon Papers. Today Rich is a columnist for the New York Times, with the historical perspective to remind us that Continue reading →

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May 9, 2010 · 12:26 pm

Turning around failing schools – a recipe that works

Turning around failing schools is not rocket science, John Simmons told an overflow crowd in the basement of University Lutheran Church of Hope on April 16. Nor, he said, is it necessary to fire principals and teachers to turn around schools. He believes – and his organization’s record shows – that it’s possible to turn around school performance by empowering the teachers and principals, and the students and parents, who are already there.  Continue reading →

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December 17, 2009 · 8:38 am

T-Paw vs. teachers

Education Minnesota, the teachers’ union, said it can’t support Governor Tim Pawlenty’s proposal for $200 million in federal “Race to the Top” stimulus money for schools. Continue reading →

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December 16, 2009 · 8:51 am

Update: For-profit schools, student debt, and worse

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For-profit educational institutions are ripping off students and taxpayers, according to an important report in Washington Monthly.

Yesterday (December 15), I wrote about recently-released federal numbers showing that for-profit schools have the highest default rate on student loans. Continue reading →

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December 13, 2009 · 3:36 pm

More dollars for diplomas

The University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will both raise tuition rates in the fall, reports MPR. The U of M currently plans a 7.5 percent hike, but that could increase if the legislature cuts funding. MNSCU is planning a five percent increase, but that, too, could change if the legislature cuts more than $10 million from the $615 million MNSCU budget. State Senator Sandy Pappas, chair of the higher education committee, is not optimistic: Continue reading →

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December 11, 2009 · 8:58 am

Twin Cities top schools – according to U.S. News & World Report

In its annual ranking, U.S. News gave a silver rating to nine Twin Cites metro area high schools: Central High School (St. Paul), Patrick Henry High School (Minneapolis), South High School (Minneapolis), Edina High School, Hopkins High School, Irondale High School (New Brighton), Mounds View High School, Roseville High School,and Wayzata High School. Continue reading →

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