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.

Gustavus prof: We need to work on mutual respect and confidence
Yesterday I spoke by phone for a few minutes with Max Hailperin, chairman of the faculty senate at Gustavus Adolphus College. It was just after the college had announced the coming retirement of President Jack Ohle, who had been weathering calls for his ouster since earlier this year. Ohle had reportedly clashed with faculty, among…
FAQ: How the doubling of a student-loan rate will affect Minnesotans
More than 200,000 Minnesotans take out a key low-interest federal student loan each year: the subsidized Stafford loan. With Congress still gridlocked on how to avoid its interest rate from doubling as scheduled July 1, that rate jump looks likely. (You can read and hear more on the matter here on today’s Daily Circuit segment.)…
The complications of earning college credit in high school
A couple of readers have chimed in on the issue of acceptance by private colleges of PSEO, or college-level courses that high-schoolers take to gain college credit (and possibly save some money). Their assessment: The PSEO system is not a straightforward as it may first appear — and may not save the amount of money…
Student loan rate likely to double on Monday, but lawmakers hope to reverse hikeLawmakers acknowledge that the rate on a low-interest federal loan for millions of college students in financial need is likely to double on Monday because of a congressional stalemate over how to stop that from happening. (The Washington Post) Rite of Passage…
Updated: Gustavus Adolphus President Jack Ohle retiring
Update: I just got off the phone with President Ohle. He said his decision to retire had nothing to do with recent tensions, but did acknowledge the clash, calling it all part of running a campus. He told me: “You have to accept and understand that there always will be differences, and the debate will…
At the risk of starting this debate anew, I’m wondering what the cost structure would look like if the PSEO-to-University-of-Minnesota option were charted, along with PSEO-to-private-college path. I’ve been told PSEO students would naturally gravitate toward those types of institutions. Are those paths possible? Would be worth a call. (Read: I’ve got a call in.)…
I was hoping for a few details on the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business’ use of infographics to market itself, so I spoke with Dean Christopher Puto. The university worked with its PR firm to produce three since December. (The first is here, and the second one is above. It hasn’t officially…
Stover of South Central giving up the reins
I remember meeting South Central College President Keith Stover in September 2011 during a day’s visit there. (I blogged all day about what I found on campus.) He was a dynamo early in the morning — and was not what you’d call formal. At the time he was focused on three things: improving the college’s…
Efforts to keep interest rates on new student loans from doubling appeared to be falling apart Wednesday as the Democratic leader of the Senate declared a bipartisan proposal unacceptable.
Bipartisan plan in Senate would prevent doubling of student loan interest rate A bipartisan group of senators has announced a proposal to prevent a doubling of the interest rate on certain federal student loans, an increase that would affect 7 million college students in the coming school year. (The Washington Post) Examine Budget Proposals’ Impact…