Education

People are sitting out college in droves. During the pandemic, undergraduate enrollment has dropped nearly 7 percent. The long-term effects of this decline could have a dramatic impact on the economy.

Dr. David Rubin discusses guidance from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that says schools should stay open for in-person learning and discontinue required weekly testing.

President Joe Biden and others in his administration insist schools should stay open, even with the omicron wave making it harder than ever to manage.

Tenth grader Lucy Heagle attends Roosevelt High School in south Minneapolis. She spoke with MPR’s Morning Edition about what school has been like lately in era of COVID-driven uncertainty.

Minneapolis Public Schools is closing its buildings and shifting to an e-learning day on Monday, due to the bitter cold forecast and concerns about COVID-19 affecting bus transportation.

More than 20,000 St. Paul kids chose not to enroll in the city’s public schools last year. Many of those students — white, Black and Asian — are leaving for charter schools that cater to students of their own race.

An omicron-fueled surge in virus cases is sending Minnesota teachers, students and bus drivers home just days after returning from winter break.

Schools are just starting to get regular access to testing; teachers are still paying out of pocket for masks and air purifiers; and qualified substitutes and bus drivers can be hard to find.

As the omicron variant races through Minnesota, we're seeing more kids getting sick, and school staff, too. MPR News education reporter Elizabeth Shockman joined host Cathy Wurzer with the latest on how schools across the state are managing the pandemic — and whether some might go back to distance learning.

Facing a dire driver shortage, Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts are asking parents to start planning alternative transportation for students.