April 8, 1997 - A Minnesota researcher is raising eyebrows in education circles... with a new study that says poverty does not cause children to do poorly in school. Economist Samuel Myers is director of the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the University of Minnesota. He analyzed test results in hopes of explaining why minority students do poorly compared with white kids. His conclusion runs counter to what many educators have long assumed. Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen reports. Samuel Myers says he was frustrated with the widespread assumption that poverty causes the poor academic performance of many minority children. 50-thousand eighth graders took the Minnesota Basic Standards Test last year. Bla
April 8, 1997 - Governor Carlson says his proposed education tax credits will enhance, not harm, public education. Carlson spoke to hundreds of school choice advocates today at state capitol rally. The controversial plan would help Minnesota families supplement their children's education in public, private and home schools. Carlson has been turning up the heat on the legislature to pass the plan he says builds on a tradition of expanding choice. Opponents say they object to any attempt to shift public funds to private schools, which are not accoutable to state taxpayers. Minnesota Public radio's Tim Pugmire reports... "Minnesotans for School Choice," invited one thousand private school.
April 9, 1997 - All the talk about bringing America's school students' test results up to the level of those in Japan and other countries is putting a lot of pressure on kids and teachers. The pressure to learn more at an earlier age causes some to worry kids will burn out and lose interest in learning. But that doesn't seem to be happening. An education expert says a bigger concern is not all kids have an equal opportunity to learn because of disparaties in education funding. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson visited a Hopkins school and has more. It's been 40 years since Jack Anderson was a 4th grader, and his memory is foggy on what his parochial and public school teachers in Brainerd demanded that he learn. He knows with a certainty, however, that he is asking a great deal more of his 25 students. tape . . . the exposure they get in school, the techno
April 9, 1997 - D-F-L leaders in the Minnesota House have unveiled their plan for improving public education in Minnesota...but education tax credits are not included. House Speaker Phil Carruthers and members of the House Education Committee say they're committed to working with Governor Carlson on education reform. But their plan omits the specific provision Carlson says he's prepared to fight for. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... House D-F-Lers say their "Excellence for All" proposal would create greater standards of accountability for schools and students. They reject the Republican Governor's proposed tax credits in favor of spending more on pu
April 11, 1997 - A key Senate committee today (Friday) killed Governor Carlson's latest school vouchers proposal. The Governor has promised to veto all other school spending until he gets a vouchers plan, and lawmakers are steeling themselves for a showdown at the end of the legislative session, next month. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: The Senate K-12 Committee didn't surprise anybody when it voted down the Governor's vouchers plan; their counterparts in the House already killed the bill last week. The Governor wants a law to let students spend state dollars on private education, something he believes would reform the whole school system by making it more "customer-oriented." The Governor has been fighting the Legislatu
April 15, 1997 - The Saint Paul school board and teachers union host a reception this afternoon to honor the district's 28 teachers who've earned certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Saint Paul leads the nation in board certified teachers. With a growing trend toward increased standards in education, many experienced teachers are going through the rigorous evaluation to gain professional recognition and possibly more money. Minnesota Public radio's Tim Pugmire reports... The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards began in 1987 as a way to increase teacher professionalism, upgrade learning environments and improve teacher training. Educators, government officials and business lead
April 17, 1997 - Midday focuses on education with guests Larry Pogemiller, DFL state senator, and Sandra Peterson, president of the Minnesota Federation of Teachers. Pogemiller and Peterson discuss common schools proposal, education standards, school choice, various programs, and answer listener call-in questions.
April 18, 1997 - The Senate Taxes Committee has finished work on a sweeping tax reform package. The reforms will lower most property tax rates, but they also set up a controversial new tax on businesses. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: The Taxes Committee has delivered what its chairman, Tower DFLer Doug Johnson, has been promising since January: major property tax reform. The legislation cuts everybody's rates somewhat, but the biggest cuts go to businesses, which also pay the highest rates. Chairman Johnson says the bill reduces the state's dependence on what he calls "unfair" property taxes: ((Escalating property taxes are stifling economic growth, and we all hear from our constituents, people who don't even want to remodel their house because their assessor will come and raise their rates.
April 21, 1997 - President Clinton wants all children reading by third grade. His two-point-75 billion dollar "America Reads" proposal would place one-million tutors, including thousands of college students, in elementary classrooms throughout the nation. Minnesota colleges are making plans to get their students involved in the project. These volunteer tutors face a tough assignment helping children reach their proper reading level. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... 5604 (Sound of readers) In the library at Richard R. Green Central Park Elementary school
April 21, 1997 - Bonnie Wallace says the way things worked on the Fond du Lac reservation when she was a teenager there 30 years ago is the Bureau of Indian Affairs told boys they'd be auto mechanics and the girls would be hair dressers. Today on our Voices of Minnesota interview we hear Bonnie Wallace talk about education for American Indians. Wallace left the reservation as a young adult. Now, she's back as chair of the board for the tribal college. She talked recently with Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson about attitudes toward American Indians when she was growing up.