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.

Outside investigator to probe Michigan school's actions prior to shooting
A third party will investigate events at Oxford High School that occurred before a school shooting that left four students dead and six other students and a teacher wounded, the Michigan district's superintendent said.
Principal who organized LGBTQ flag display files suit against Marshall's school district
A school administrator has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Marshall public school district for alleged discrimination and removal from her position after hanging an LGBTQ Pride flag in the school cafeteria as part of an inclusivity project.
How students and families have responded to St. Paul's school closure plan
The St. Paul School Board voted Wednesday night to close six schools in the district, with plans to eventually reopen four of them. Sarita Toledo, a student at one of three schools that was saved from closure, and Becky Dernbach, a reporter who’s been covering the story for Sahan Journal, told host Cathy Wurzer how students and parents have responded to the district’s plan.
St. Paul school board approves plan that closes, changes 6 schools
The St. Paul Public Schools board decided 5-2 to close Galtier, Jackson, John A. Johnson, Parkway and L’Etoile du Nord lower campus schools by June 2022. They also voted to close Barack and Michelle Obama Elementary by the end of the 2022-23 school year. Two of these schools have no reopening plan, while others will close temporarily and reopen with different programming.
Carpools and church buses: How families are coping with the ongoing bus driver shortage
Parents are coming up with workarounds in how they get their kids to and from school each day. Some have turned to carpools with friends and neighbors, while in other cases, school staffers or after-school care employees have stepped up to fill the void.
Some immigrant parents say St. Paul school closures would hurt their communities
Somali American parents in St. Paul say a plan to close Highwood Hills Elementary would endanger a neighborhood hub. Latino parents say they weren’t included in the decision to close Wellstone Elementary. With a school-board vote coming soon, immigrant parents want to be heard.
Rochester school superintendent on innovating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
As school staff and families weather yet another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota, some districts, including Rochester Public Schools, are adding extra days off in an effort to combat stress. Kent Pekel, Rochester's interim school superintendent, told host Cathy Wurzer how his district is working to overcome the challenges of the pandemic.
COVID-19 spike sending Minnesota students home, closing schools
Minnesota’s rise in COVID-19 cases is prompting some school leaders to cancel classes, move students to distance learning or make changes to their safety policies.