June 2, 1999 - The Saint Paul school board will consider 10-and-a-half million dollars in spending cuts to balance next year's budget. District administrators last night outlined a budget proposal that includes teacher layoffs and increased class sizes.
May 28, 1999 - Fraternity leaders at the University of Minnesota say they're trying to set an example for all students on responsible drinking. A national survey this week showed alcohol-related arrests on the rise at the U of M, especially in campus dorms. But fraternities are claiming a decline in alcohol problems due to strict new rules on house parties and changing attitudes among members. Police, however, say they haven't seen much change.
May 26, 1999 - Saint Paul School District officials say they're preparing for their largest ever summer school program. More than 15-thousand students in kindergarten through 12th grade are expected to enroll in the remedial sessions. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... This is the second year in Saint Paul for mandatory summer school for students who have net yet passed the state basic standards tests. It's the first year summer school is required for any third grader who's fallen behind in reading. School officials were caught off guard last summer when more students than expected showed up for summer classes. Assistant Superintendent Cy Yusten says that won't happen again...
May 20, 1999 - Inaction by the state legislature on the controversial Profile of Learning means it returns intact next fall for a second school year. Teachers throughout the state have struggled with the new graduation standards.
April 29, 1999 - Students who aren't making acceptable academic progress in Saint Paul public schools could soon be prevented from moving on to the next grade. The district's new superintendent, Pat Harvey, says she wants to end social promotion as part of a new district accountability plan.
April 28, 1999 - Teachers, parents and students throughout Minnesota are waiting today for results of this year's 8th grade basic standards tests. The tests measure minimum skills in reading and math and are a requirement for high school graduation. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports Minnesota school districts have spent a lot of time and money the past year to raise scores..
April 21, 1999 - Students and teachers in Minnesota are among those struggling to understand Tuesday's shooting ramage in a Littleton, Colorado high school. The violent attack was a topic of conversation today in many classrooms. In the the Minneapolis suburb of Richfield, school officials and students were talking about the latest school tragedy and reflecting on their own preparations for a similar incident.
April 20, 1999 - More than one-thousand low income, Twin Cities children will attend non-public elementary schools next fall through a privately-funded scholarship program. The KidsFirst scholarship fund will pay up to 12-hundred dollars toward tution for eligible students who currently attend metro area public schools. Organizers say they're helping parents make educational choices for their children. But some critics say the project undermines public education.
April 13, 1999 - Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer says he thinks Minnesotans are hungry for the type of leadership he'd bring to the White House. The conservative activist brought his exploratory campaign to Bloomington this afternoon. Bauer, who bills himself as a Ronald Reagan-Republican, also named a 12-member state steering committee headed by former legislator Allen Quist.
April 8, 1999 - House Republicans say they want to make up for years of neglect in general education spending for Minnesota schools. Republican leaders announced today their plan to increase education spending by nearly one billion dollars over the next two years.