January 21, 1998 - DFL lawmakers want to give the state the power to takeover failing public schools. That provision is part of carrot and stick bill offering rewards to schools where test scores increase and penalizing schools where scores decline. Supporters of the plan says it's high time schools face consequences for poor performance. But some educators say making threats and blaming schools won't help children learn.
January 16, 1998 - Half-way into the school year, teachers in almost two-thirds of Minnesota's school districts are working without a new contract. Part of the reason is the one-time removal of a state-mandated contract deadline. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports teachers are increasingly concerned about the slow pace of this years contract negotiations.
January 14, 1998 - State legislators are considering ways to even the spread of funding available to school districts. Officials in suburban and rural districts with low property values say they're falling further behind the property-rich districts. Some lawmakers and educators say the state's budget surplus makes this a good year to try to fix the problem.
January 12, 1998 - The president of the state Board of Education concedes there's little hope of saving the controversial diversity rule for Minnesota schools. Board members are expected to kill the rule at a meeting today. The proposed rule aims to improve test scores of minority students in schools where they've fallen behind their white classmates. But opponents say the rule tries to do too much and would impose cumbersome mandates on schools. Governor Carlson opposes the rule, and his recent appointment of three new board members appears to ensure its death.
January 9, 1998 - As the annual flood of tax mailings enters the mailstream...state education officials are spreading the word about the state's new tax credit and deduction law. The new law allows low income families to take a dollar-for-dollar credit for educational expences incurred this year...and increases the deductions available for all families. They'll actually see the money in next year's tax refunds...but education choice advocates who helped pass the controversial law say they now want to make sure people are using it now. Businesses providing some of the services eligible for the tax breaks are also gearing up for the law's potential impact.
October 14, 1997 - Midday discusses qualifications of school board members and issues they must be prepared to address with guests Jan Rhode, director of board training and development for the Minnesota School Boards Association; and State Representative Mindy Greiling, who was a member of the Roseville School Board for many years. Listeners also call in with questions.
September 8, 1997 - School administrators throughout Minnesota are deciding how to spend the money they've received to help poor students get better grades. The state will give schools $180-million this year to improve academic achievement, a $50-million increase from a year ago. For the first time, the money is going to individual schools, rather than school districts. Educators say the getting the money, and the responsibilities that go with it, is a giant step forward for local control and site-based decision-making. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
September 3, 1997 - Minneapolis school officials say the first day of new schedules went smoother than expected. The state's largest school district changed start times for all high schools and middle schools and many elementary schools. Elementary schools are starting earlier than last year and high schools start later. Supporters of the new start times say students will learn better, but some students say they want their old schedule back. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
September 2, 1997 - As the new school year begins, Latino/Chicano parents in St. Paul are pressuring school district officials to do a better job educating their children. Many of those raising concerns are the same parents who sued the district 21 years ago over learning inequities. They claim there's been little improvement for Latino students since the case was settled. School district officials say they remain committed to their court-ordered obligations to Latino students, and the special programs are helping. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
August 29, 1997 - School district officials in Grand Forks say the return of their students is an important step in the community's recovery from spring flooding. Grand Forks students returned to classes this week for the first time since April. The school year begins Tuesday across the river in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. This won't be a normal year for either school system. The flood damaged several schools beyond repair, work crews are still repairing other buildings and many students will spend the year in temporary structures. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports... (Sound of kids) First and second grade students at Belmont Elementary sit o