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.

Nearly 73 percent of Minnesota children were prepared to start kindergarten in the fall of 2012, or about 13 percent more than in 2010, according to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Education.
Remember the concern that MnSCU’s plan for more campus integration might lead to overcentralization and too much power in St. Paul? Looks like the university faculty union is trying to head that off at the pass. The Inter Faculty Organization is asking for a seat at the table when officials figure out how to implement Read more →
A new poll from NPR finds that the majority of parents feel their child's school is preparing students for college. But 4 in 10 say that schools do not sufficiently prepare students who will not attend college -- and parents of girls are even more likely to be concerned than parents of boys.
Metro State safety chief recounts obstacle to prosecution
During yesterday’s Senate hearing on campus safety, Metropolitan State University public safety director Thomas Maida raised a few eyebrows with his testimony on the challenges of prosecuting crimes on campus: “When we’ve had crimes, and we’ve identified a specific individual, we’ve really struggled with investigations with the police department. We’ve struggled with moving investigations forward Read more →
Johns Hopkins again tops in university research spending New data from NSF show that Hopkins spent $2.1 billion on research and development in the fiscal year that ended in 2012. The University of Michigan ranked second, spending $1.3 billion. (The Washington Post) Black college students face persistent hurdles, report finds More black students in California are earning bachelor’s degrees than Read more →
Senators hear of more urban, more turbulent U community
A University of Minnesota official told state senators today that increased urbanization of the U has prompted officials to rethink security on and around campus. Pam Wheelock, vice president of university services, says increased neighborhood density, fewer single-family households and more absentee landlords have made it tougher to keep students safe. And she said campus Read more →
Jobs Gap Between College, High School Graduates Widens College graduates claimed the bulk of last month’s job gains, while high-school grads with no college lost jobs, highlighting a persistent divide in the recovery. (The Wall Street Journal) University Of Oregon Investigating ‘Out Of Control’ Snowball Fight It was all fun until students started to aggressively Read more →
How urban colleges try to keep students safe
In light of the recent incidents on the University of Minnesota campus, state lawmakers will be holding a hearing on the issue at the Capitol Tuesday.