Education News

MPR News keeps track of the latest education news in Minnesota so you can understand the events shaping the future of learning and how it impacts students at any level.

Stay informed about local education events, policies and more happening in schools and colleges across Minnesota.

He's 13 and graduating from the U. His next quest is a physics Ph.D.
On Tuesday, 13-year-old Elliott Tanner will graduate from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He’s already been accepted into the U’s Ph.D. physics program. It’s an extraordinary journey, but one that finances might put on hold.
Sarah Lancaster is first Asian/Pacific Islander educator to win MN Teacher of the Year
One of 15 children of a Filipino immigrant mother and a much older American father, Sarah Lancaster understands better than most trauma, isolation, and the way schools can serve as a haven. She teaches at Onamia Public Schools, which she attended, to provide that haven for a new generation.
The education culture war is raging. But for most parents, it's background noise
By wide margins, parents across the political spectrum are satisfied with how their children's schools teach about race, gender and history. That's according to a new national poll by NPR and Ipsos.
Harvard releases report detailing its ties to slavery, plans to issue reparations
A committee formed by Harvard President Lawrence Bacow found that Harvard faculty and staff enslaved 70 people from the school's founding in 1636 to the banning of slavery in Massachusetts in 1783.
South Washington County votes to approve building plan, close Newport Elementary School
Booming enrollment in South Washington County Schools led the district to propose a $462 million facilities plan. At a school board meeting Thursday night, the district also voted to close the district’s smallest and most diverse elementary school. Voters will have the final say in August.
Disabled students have a right to qualified teachers — but there's a shortage
When schools can't find a licensed special education teacher, they hire people who are willing to do the job, but lack the training. It's a practice that concerns some special education experts.