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

Community Action Team: Eliminating Barriers for Prospective Teachers of Color

While nearly 35% of students in Minnesota identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color, the teacher workforce across the […]

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Other Posts

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?

Krista Kaput

What Does the American Rescue Plan Mean for Education in Minnesota?

Krista Kaput

House Education Omnibus Bill: Some Good Policies with a Swing and a Miss on Teacher Licensure

Josh Crosson

Searching for Strength Following Atlanta Shootings

Krista Kaput

March 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post
Shai Hayo

Are Current Licensure Proposals Really for the Benefit of Our Children?

Kara Cisco

5 Things You Can Do Now to Prepare to Address the Chauvin Trial in Your Classroom

Guest Post
Jose Perez

Proposed Bill Would Hurt Struggling Students (Like I Was) the Most

Josh Crosson

Let’s Break it Down: Five Reasons Why We’re Saying “NO” to This Year’s Licensure Bill

Matt Shaver

Teachers Push Back on Licensure Changes

Guest Post
Beatrice Handlin

Free College in High School? I’m Doing It, but Too Few Students in MN Know They Can Too

Brian Mumford

Can “School Choice” Please be About Students Again?

Krista Kaput

Governor Proposes Many Steps Forward, but a Few Back

Krista Kaput

February 2021 Research Rundown

Krista Kaput

What’s in the Governor’s Education Budget?

Guest Post
Suleiman Adan

It’s a Pandemic, Don’t Leave Students Out of the Mental Health Conversation

Guest Post
Citlaly Escobar

Will the MN House Act on Racial Justice? Why I Shared My Story

Krista Kaput

Make Rigorous Education the Default through Automatic Enrollment

Matt Shaver

First House Education Hearings Include Proposals on COVID-19 Recovery

Krista Kaput

Quick Facts on the New Federal Stimulus: What to Expect in K-12 Education

Krista Kaput

January 2021 Research Rundown

Guest Post
Brian Mumford

Letting Go of the Status Quo to Put Students at the Center

Guest Post
Kara Cisco

Criticality, Neutrality, and the State of Civics in America

Guest Post
Kara Cisco

Family Engagement Will Never Be the Same—and It Shouldn’t Be

Adrienne Vitt

Meet EdAllies’ 2021-22 EdVoices Cohort

Minnesota Capitol

Josh Crosson

2021 Legislative Session: Seven Issues We’re Working on for MN Kids

Krista Kaput

Learning from National Innovators Part 4: Measuring and Addressing Learning Loss

Krista Kaput

December 2020 Research Rundown

distance-learning

Krista Kaput

November 2020 Research Rundown

Krista Kaput

New MN Teacher Preparation Regulations Are Almost Done

Krista Kaput

Minnesota Fall Learning Plans By the Numbers

Guest Post
Kara Cisco

5 Lessons for Civics Teachers Navigating an Election Year

Krista Kaput

October 2020 Research Rundown

Guest Post
Triasia Givens

SOS: Save Our Black Children, End Educational Trauma

Krista Kaput

September 2020 Research Rundown

Adrienne Vitt

What Students Are Saying About Going Back to (Virtual) School

Krista Kaput

Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over Proposed Teacher Prep Rules

Blog Intro Image

Josh Crosson

14 Key Questions for Parents to Ask to Help Navigate this School Year

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Guest Post
Mylazia and Kovonna McPipe

A Student Perspective: Bullying in the Age of COVID-19

Image introduces the August 2020 Research Rundown

Krista Kaput

August 2020 Research Rundown

Introductory image

Krista Kaput

Celebrating Our Best Teachers by Keeping them in the Classroom

Krista Kaput

Learning From National Innovators Part 3: Educating Students During COVID-19

Krista Kaput

10 Things All MN Schools Must Do Next School Year, No Matter Their Model

Michelle Koffa

Special Session Round-Two Ends with Nothing Accomplished for Students

Young Black student painting at a table

Guest Post
Kara Cisco

Implicit Bias in Distance Learning: Students Weigh-In on Educators’ Expectations

Michelle Koffa

Public Eye is on Education. Will this Translate to Action During Special Session?

Krista Kaput

July 2020 Research Rundown