Blog : 'Government' Category

Archive for the ‘Government’ Category

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

With a new year comes a new session of the Minnesota Legislature! While things are just kicking off this week, […]

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

Post-election, there has been a lot of talk about the new makeup of the Legislature, and what we can expect […]

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

If a legislative body of 201 members, hundreds of staffers, and countless advocates spends four months drafting and debating legislation […]

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

Content Warning: This piece discusses suicidal feelings. Mental health in the youth community is a very important issue that crosses […]

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

The number of students with neurodevelopmental disabilities, like Autism, ADHD, and speech and language disorders, has increased since Minnesota’s education […]

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

It’s the seventh-inning stretch at the Minnesota Legislature. And with a little over a month to go until the constitutionally-required […]

MDE Decides How They Will Spend ARP Money

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) is sending $1.3 billion in federal funding for K-12 COVID recovery to be spent in Minnesota over […]

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

More than one month after the regular 2021 legislative session ended, legislators have reached an agreement on the K-12 education omnibus […]

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

The Minnesota legislature officially adjourned Monday afternoon, but with a lot of work unfinished. Once again, legislators will have to […]

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

This piece was co-written by Jen Goepfert, Cristina Benz, Jill Merkle, and Kara Cisco It is possible that in the last […]

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

In mid-March, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), which includes $170 billion in […]

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

This month, the Education Policy Committee released their omnibus bill—the single bill that packages all the K-12 policies the House […]

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

With the Derek Chauvin trial for the murder of George Floyd approaching, teachers in Minneapolis, as well as those across […]

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

If you had told me a decade ago that I would be working this hard to make teacher licensure in […]

Teachers Push Back on Licensure Changes

Minnesota students should never miss out on a great teacher because of arbitrary licensure barriers. Despite signs that tiered licensure […]

Governor Proposes Many Steps Forward, but a Few Back

During the legislative session, the Governor has two main tools to advance his policy priorities: a proposed budget outlining spending […]

What’s in the Governor’s Education Budget?

Late January, Governor Walz released a budget proposal with 428-pages on education. Many of the priorities tie back to his […]

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

Growing up as a Mexican-American in Minnesota, my experience in the public school system was, at a minimum, alienating and, […]

First House Education Hearings Include Proposals on COVID-19 Recovery

This week, the legislative session started kicking into gear with hearings on two bills that will invest in COVID-19 recovery […]

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

In late December, the federal government passed a $900 billion federal stimulus bill, which will provide vital support for education […]

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

This legislative session, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Minnesota students, who have faced unprecedented disruption in their education. The […]

New MN Teacher Preparation Regulations Are Almost Done

For over a year, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) has been working to overhaul their process for […]

5 Lessons for Civics Teachers Navigating an Election Year

You’ve heard it ad nauseam this election year: Young people (yes, students) have the power to make a difference. But […]

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

Last week, Governor Walz announced a framework for back-to-school that will lead to a mix of delivery models across the […]

Special Session Round-Two Ends with Nothing Accomplished for Students

Minnesota’s second special session adjourned Tuesday, with legislators coming to an agreement on a highly debated police accountability bill. But […]

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

This article was updated July 20 to reflect the introduction of HF96. For the second time this summer Governor Walz […]

What Espinoza Case Means for Private Schools in MN

Last week, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case followed closely by many in the education world: Espinoza […]

Big Policies Pass in Special Session, But Much Work Remains

Last week, legislators came back for a one-week special session with a renewed call to address racial equity. Leaders brought […]

Flurry of Activity on Education During Special Session

Legislators came into special session last Friday with numerous priorities, hopes to advance several education policies that didn’t pass in […]

A Call to Action on Racial Justice for Minnesota Students

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, conversations on racial justice have moved front and center. Given Minnesota’s startling opportunity […]

Ensuring Equity: Emergency Funds and Summer Learning on the Way for MN Schools

Last week, Governor Walz announced how he will prioritize Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act emergency support dedicated […]

2020 Session Wrap-Up: What Passed, What Didn’t (and What Still Has a Chance)?

The 2020 legislative session was not what anyone expected. COVID-19’s devastating impact on Minnesota students and their access to a […]

Distance Learning Pulls Back the Curtain on What Teachers Have Always Known

This post is the fourth in our Education at a Distance series, centering the voices of students, parents, and educators […]

Will Key COVID-19 Education Bill Pass Before Session Adjourns?

With under a week left of the regular legislative session, the Minnesota House and Senate are still working behind the […]

Teacher Licensure During COVID-19: Barriers to Student Teaching, Renewals, and More

The COVID-19 crisis has caused ripple effects across the education system, raising significant questions and challenges for the teacher licensure […]

Minnesota, We Have a Problem: Students Need Internet Access for Distance Learning

Minnesota students have been distance learning for about a month and are set to continue through at least the remainder […]

MN Education During COVID-19: Legislative Action Coming

After going on hiatus March 17, legislators announced they will reconvene for one day. On Thursday, March 26 they will […]

MN Education Policy in the Time of COVID-19

Just over a month ago, policymakers began the 2020 legislative session eager to advance a range of legislative priorities. Now, […]

What’s in the Governor’s Education Bill?

This week, legislators held a hearing on the Governor’s education policy bill (HF3186). The bill contains several policies that will […]

Why We Must Decolonize Civics

There’s an adage I use with my students often that the roots of our country will show up in its […]