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.

Hundreds of principals and other school leaders gathered in Minneapolis Monday to discuss strategies for preventing bullying.
Today’s Senate higher-ed committee hearing on the bill by Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) that would cut central office spending by MnSCU and the U of M raised the question: Would the bill improperly micromanage the institutions? Miller, an accountant by trade, has proposed cutting the administrative spending at both institutions’ headquarters by 10 percent. Central…
Dayton signs Minn. teacher license bill into law
Gov. Mark Dayton has signed a law that creates a path into the teaching profession for nontraditional teachers and midcareer professionals.
With an eye on the shrinking pool of Catholic priests who are capable and willing to lead colleges, the University of St. Thomas has changed its bylaws to allow non-priests to lead the institution. Doug Hennes, vice president for university and government relations, confirmed a Board of Trustees report in the university’s bulletin announcement that…
I’m always cautious about publicizing initial reports on assault cases at universities for a number of different reasons, chiefly to avoid sensationalizing the situation. Although campus officials have so far released little about the following cases at Gustavus Adolphus College, I’m mentioning them because the campus has scheduled meetings on the matter. I received this…
Moorhead prof: Why we update our texts so frequently
greenasian via Flickr Planned obsolescence? Minnesota State University-Moorhead biology professor George Davis, who is in our Public Insight Network, explains to me why professors keep using new editions of textbooks in their classes: “What really happens is the publisher tells us after two years (usually) that the current edition of our book will be discontinued.…
Why St. Cloud's homecoming is dead
The St. Cloud Times explains why Wanda Overland, St. Cloud State University’s vice president for student life and development, says the traditional football-focused homecoming is being replaced with other activities: Scheduling Homecoming became difficult with limited home football games, even less choice about who the Huskies played and with other competition for fans from things…
Here’s the text of SF546, one of the two bills to be discussed today in the Senate higher education committee. Committee chair Michelle Fischbach (R-Paynesville) is the author. The bill would lower from 66 to 62 the age at which people are considered senior citizens. (I’m assuming that’s for a discount, but I’ll check.) BE…
Videos: What's up at the U of Minnesota
Just a recap of the episodes since I posted the pilot. (Summaries are from the YouTube introductions.) The most recent episode, released Friday: We break down the U’s impact on Minnesota’s economy, go behind the scenes at President Bruininks’ final “State of the U” address and check out the new Animal Trauma Center on campus.…
Colleges keep pot bans despite states easing laws Seeing a risk of losing federal funding, colleges in states that allow medical marijuana are keeping their distance. (USA Today) A Folly That Can Cost a Reputation — or Not Two recent episodes suggest that beneath a surface unanimity of disapproval, the range of responses to plagiarism…