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.

U of M scare is over, folks. From the U: The Science Teaching and Student Services Building on the East Bank is now re-opened. Public safety and facilities staff have concluded their search of the building and found no questionable items. We’re estimating that approximately 1,000 students were impacted by the brief closure.
Just got this from U spokesman Dan Wolter: The U of M is evacuating our Science Teaching and Student Services building because of a threat that was made against the facility. More specifically, a bomb threat. Law enforcement will conduct a precautionary search of the facility and it will be re-opened as soon as possible.
Head of national teachers union speaks at the Commonwealth Club
American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten speaks at the Commonwealth Club of California. She discusses recent efforts to curb teacher compensation and limit their ability to collectively bargain.
Why grad assistants are trying to organize at Univ. of Minn.
Organizers of the unionization of University of Minnesota’s graduate assistants say they’ll be working through the summer to boost even higher the number of student cards calling for a union election. Supporters say they want collective bargaining for pay and benefits, and want a better way to resolve work issues. The Minnesota Daily reports the…
Who's trying to get Winona to ban plastic bags
“I don’t know if (the ordinance) is something I’ll see when I’m here, but I would come back to see whatever does happen with it.” — Winona State University senior Laura Senefeld, who is on a campaign to have single-use plastic bags banned from the city. She has shown the documentary Bag It on campus…
Spokesman Dave Golden of the University of Minnesota’s Boynton Health Service — which recently upped staff to cover a backlog of mental health cases — tells the Minnesota Daily what health officials are seeing there: “Our demand is up, our patient visits are up, but diagnosis [of depression] on campus is down.” MPR’s Tim Post…
New at the U: Ag Awareness, Beautiful U and the Dalai Lama
Minnesota farm animals invade the U’s East Bank for the second annual Ag Awareness Day, cyclists take over Northrop Plaza on “Beautiful U” Day and we preview the Dalai Lama’s May 7-8 visit to campus. Visit the YouTube page here.
Social Media in the M.B.A. Classroom Elite business schools are weaving social media instruction into their curricula. (U.S. News & World Report) Teacher colleges balk at being rated A controversial review of America’s teacher colleges has met resistance in Wisconsin, where education school leaders in the public and private sector say they will not voluntarily…
The Education Department says BlueSky Online's curriculum doesn't meet state standards. It's the first time the state has made such a move.
How Central Lakes is expanding in a tough economy
So amid all the financial doom and gloom and rumors of campus closures, I see this on pineandlakes.com: CLC plans to offer college classes in Pine River It appears Central Lakes College is setting up a satellite “campus” of sorts in Pine River to offer general-education courses to the community beginning this fall. “It’s kind…