Blog

Families, educators, and students themselves need a voice in conversations about education practices and policymaking. Through the EdAllies blog, we elevate diverse perspectives to foster a candid dialogue about what students need and how schools can support them. We also regularly report back on our policy work, keeping our partners in-the-know on key issues.

On The Blog

EdLines from Washington: Tracking Federal Policy and Its Impact on Minnesota

Author’s note: Changes and developments within the federal government are moving quickly. The information in this blog is accurate as […]

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Other Posts

Madie Spartz

June 2025 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz & Matt Shaver

Task Force Awakens: A Deep Dive into Minnesota’s 2025 K-12 Budget Bill

Madie Spartz

May 2025 Research Rundown

Joey Gebin

April 2025 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

Omnibus Turbulence and Bipartisan Bright Spots: A Mid-Session Look at Education Legislation

Madie Spartz

March 2025 Research Rundown

Josh Crosson

Don’t Let Minnesota Make San Francisco’s Math Mistake

Madie Spartz

January 2025 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

Reading the Fine Print: What Governor Walz’s Budget Could Mean for Schools

Matt Shaver

For Good…or Gridlock? Power Sharing Before the Session

Madie Spartz

December 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

November 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

October 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

Reading Between the Lines: What the Read Act 2.0 Means for Your School Year

Madie Spartz

September 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

August 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

July 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

June 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

May 2024 Research Rundown

Matt Shaver

Cutting Through the Noise: What Mattered for Kids in the 2024 Legislative Session

Madie Spartz

April 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

Conference Committees Tackle Final Details on K-12 Bills. Will Key Provisions Get Across the Finish Line?

Madie Spartz

March 2024 Research Rundown

Matt Shaver

2024 Mid-Session Madness: Which Student-Centered Policies Will Advance?

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

Attendance Is a Huge Problem, But There Is No Easy Solution

Madie Spartz

How Will New Legislation on Dangerous Holds in Schools Impact Students & Families?

Madie Spartz

Parents—Save Those Receipts! Information on K-12 Tax Credits

Madie Spartz

February 2024 Research Rundown

Matt Shaver

More Progression this Session: A Look at EdAllies’ 2024 Policy Priorities

Guest Post

Erin Sandsmark

Dangerous Hold Protections for Kids Are Simple and Don’t Need to be Repealed

Madie Spartz

January 2024 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

Decoding Literacy Incentive Aid

Madie Spartz

December 2023 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

November 2023 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

October 2023 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

September 2023 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

August 2023 Research Rundown

Madie Spartz

What Can Families Expect to See from the READ Act?

Madie Spartz

July 2023 Research Rundown

Matt Hager

EdAllies Gets amplifiED

Madie Spartz

June 2023 Research Rundown

Matt Shaver

A Wrap on the 2023 Session: Tenacious DFL

Madie Spartz

May 2023 Research Rundown

Josh Crosson

Going Backwards on PreK-3 Suspensions & Expulsions

Madie Spartz

At the Capitol, Dual Credit Programs Fail to Make the Cut

Matt Hager

Community Action Team: Eliminating Barriers for Prospective Teachers of Color

Matt Shaver

A Big Session Lies Ahead for Kids. What Are We Working On This Year?

Teacher engaging in the classroom

Josh Crosson

Why Do Prospective Teachers of Color Walk Away? Join the Community Action Team

Empty offices

Josh Crosson

MDE is Getting a New Commissioner. Who Should Gov. Walz Appoint?

Hands touching Scrabble tiles

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

Twice Exceptional Students and their Educational Rights

MCA proficiency trend lines drop for both math and reading between 2018-22, with math falling further than reading

Tim Essenburg

Benchmarking Student Data Is Key to Understanding Proficiency

Tim Essenburg

July 2022 Research Rundown

Guest Post

Riyan Said

The Broken Promise of Advanced Coursework for Students of Color (Like Me)

Guest Post

Matt Shaver

A Wrap on the 2022 Session: Nothing Happened in the Room Where it Happens

Guest Post

Virginia Gutierrez

Legislators Need to Know What I Learned About Exclusionary Discipline

Guest Post

Abigail Catalan

A Student Take: 7 Ways to Improve Student Mental Health

Guest Post

Jazmin Roldan

Students are Fighting Mental Health Challenges Every Day. Who’s Going to Help?

Guest Post

Mindy Chang

What Are You? Putting an End to Guessing Games with Disaggregated Data

Guest Post

Kara Cisco

Racist Incidents are Increasing. Can Ethnic Studies Address the Problem?

Guest Post

Abigail Catalan

MN Youth Can’t Succeed without Proper Access to Mental Health Support

Guest Post

Riyan Said

Experiencing MN’s Patterns of Exclusion in Advanced Coursework

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

Fighting for Our Kids: Special Education Services Need an Overhaul. But Will MN Invest?

Matt Shaver

In the Homestretch of Session, What’s Up for Debate in Education? Kids Deserve a Deal

Guest Post

Suleiman Adan

The Time to Prioritize Literacy is Now

Guest Post

Mindy Chang

New Bill Would Put Free, Accessible Period Products in Schools—and Keep Kids in Class

Matt Shaver

Buckle Up! A Unique Session Ahead with High Stakes for Kids

Guest Post

Kara Cisco

Four Qualities of an Effective Ethnic Studies Teacher

Matt Shaver

Attention Minnesota Teachers: New Literacy Training is Here

Guest Post

Ruth Davis & Reggie Evans

We’re Tackling School Nutrition. Here’s Why Policymakers Should Care Too.

Guest Post

Kara Cisco

Students Don’t Need Mindful Moments. They Need Change.

Krista Kaput

December 2021 Research Rundown

Krista Kaput

November 2021 Research Rundown

Krista Kaput

Less Than Half of MN Students Completed the FAFSA. It’s Time for State Action.

Guest Post

Keenan Jones

Black Boys: Love Them, Nurture Them, Empower Them

Krista Kaput

October 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post

Myisha Holley

From Parent to Parent: Seeing Each Other Amidst Uncertainty

Krista Kaput

September 2021 Research Rundown

Adrienne Vitt

A Back-to-School Q&A: What MN Students Are Saying

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

What Parents Want Teachers to Know

Josh Crosson

The Pandemic Harmed Kids’ Learning: 3 Important Next Steps

Krista Kaput

Preparing for MCA Scores: 6 Strategies to Address Lost Learning

Krista Kaput

August 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post

Kara Cisco

5 Things Educators Can Do in the Middle of a CRT Controversy

Krista Kaput

MDE Decides How They Will Spend ARP Money

Krista Kaput

July 2021 Research Rundown

Citlaly Escobar

Declining Enrollment Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Krista Kaput

June 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

Atypical Symptoms of Autism Meant My Daughter Went Years Without the School Support We Needed

Krista Kaput

Legislators Finally Reach a Deal on K-12 Bill. What Did (& Didn’t) Make the Cut?

Guest Post

Kaiyre Lewis

As a First-Gen College Student, High-Level High School Courses Made the Difference in my Success

Matt Shaver

Next Up: Special Session! What We’re Watching on Education

Krista Kaput

May 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post

Kara Cisco

6 Responses for People in Your Life Who Want to Ban Critical Race Theory

Krista Kaput

April 2021 Research Rundown

Matt Shaver

Proposed Changes to MN Special Education Law Erode Protections for Students

Guest Post

Citlaly Escobar

No More Excuses, Minnesota: Pass Ethnic Studies Now

Guest Post

Myisha Holley

Don’t Forget About Us: Students are Still Missing Essential Resources for Learning

Krista Kaput

The Omnibus Bills Are Out: Where Do the Senate and House Agree (Or Disagree)?

Guest Post

Jennifer Bertram

If Schools Refuse to Support Children Who Need Special Education Services, Where Should Parents Turn?