Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/category/education/page/6/)
The Physics Force Circus was held at the Northrup Auditorium at the University of Minnesota last Thursday January 15th. It might not sound like the most exciting event on the surface but when Continue Reading
The St. Paul Board of Education is considering a policy that would make the districts schools safer for transgender and gender noncomforming students. Board members have made clear they won’t listen to the “fear mongering and misinformation” lodged at LGBT students by Minnesota’s religious right organizations.The policy, which was first discussed at a work session on Tuesday, has four key points:1. Respect all students’ gender identity and gender expression by honoring the right of students to be identified and addressed by their preferred name and pronoun.2. Prohibit, within academic programming, the separation of students based upon gender unless it serves as a compelling pedagogical (instructional) tool.3. Continue Reading
We’ve heard it before: Kids of color lag behind WhitesWhen it comes to Generation Next, partnerships and outreach play a key role in their hopes-for success. “We’re kind of an opt-in effort, and the more folks you get to opt-in the greater [our] likelihood [of success is]” said Jerimiah Ellis in a previous MSR article (“Outreach director brings diversity to Generation Next team: St. Paul NAACP takes a wait-and-see approach on endorsing initiative,” Dec. 25, 2014).What plays into the success of Director of Partnerships and Outreach Jeremiah Ellis? In his own words, “I rely on Jonathan to get me the right numbers” to ensure he has the right facts and data to do his job. Continue Reading
A 15-year trend of rising tuition for students attending public and private colleges throughout Minnesota has captured the attention of the House Higher Education Policy and Finance Committee.Three themes emerged in committee discussions Tuesday and Wednesday: tuition continues to rise, enrollment has leveled off in recent years and student debt is at an all-time high. That news has many key players in post-secondary education wanting to take a closer look at how and why.On Tuesday, University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler pitched to legislators the university’s $65.2 million request for state funding to cover a tuition freeze for its students over the next two years. Without a tuition freeze, university administrators predict costs will rise between $2,100 and $2,600 over four years for undergraduate students. Kaler said the freeze on tuition would “enable the core middle-class families to more easily access the university.”Last week, Senate DFL leaders unveiled SF2 that would have the state pay education costs of students who graduate from a Minnesota high school and attend two-year vocational or community colleges governed by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. No similar legislation has yet been introduced in the Republican-controlled House.Committee members have yet discuss the university’s request or the provisions outlined in SF2. Continue Reading
If there is one thing that can be said about Sundraya (Sunny) Kase, it’s that she really loves her job. Kase is the director of community initiatives for the Minnesota Private College Council, an organization that represents 17 Minnesota private colleges, and assists students in enrolling in them and finding funding.She has been in her position for close to a decade, before which she was involved with community engagement and development with St. Paul’s Minnesota Minority Education Partnership. Kase explained that in her current position she works with all 17 campuses.Some of the colleges are Augsburg, Macalester, Concordia College, Concordia University, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline and St. Olaf. Continue Reading
Omnifest 2015 isn’t the only thing beginning this weekend at the Science Museum of Minnesota.Beginning this Saturday, January 10, science, culture and opportunity will meet during the Science Museum’s popular Science Fusion event series. This long-running event series, taking place on four Saturday afternoons in January and February, focuses on the accomplishments of members of the Twin Cities’ Asian American, African American, American Indian and Latino and Hispanic communities in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).During each Science Fusion event, science and education professionals from leading Twin Cities companies will present displays that demonstrate their passion for their work and highlight the contributions they’ve made to science and innovation. Visitors of all ages will get a memorable, hands-on look at the scientists’ areas of expertise in a science fair-style setting that is the perfect atmosphere for in-depth, one-on-one interaction between visitors and presenters.In addition, eight students from around Minnesota will be formally recognized and awarded the 2015 Donaldson Science Award, which recognizes outstanding student effort and achievement in the STEM disciplines.The 2015 Science Fusion events are:African Americans in Science: Saturday, January 10First celebrated in 1992, African Americans in Science was the pioneer Science Fusion and has become a beloved Science Museum tradition. Visitors will meet science and educational professionals from USDA Forest Service, Boston Scientific, the University of Minnesota Medical School, 3M, the Association of Genetic Technologists, and other organizations, learn about what they do through interactive displays and presentations, and discover the inspiring contributions they’ve made to technology, education, health care, and innovation.Amantes de la Ciencia!: Saturday January 24Amantes de la Ciencia (Lovers of Science) introduces visitors to science and education professionals from the Twin Cities’ Latino and Hispanic communities. Companies and organizations represented this year include Academia Cesar Chavez, Ecolab, General Mills, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Continue Reading
I’ve written before about the challenges that Minnesota Republicans face, politically. I am pleased to report that they are being triumphantly met, via the MNGOP Solution Center. I’m sure I’ll be coming back to this glorious endeavor, from time to time; for today, a few notes about GOP solutions on education, to the admittedly limited extent that my puny left-wing intellect can process such breakthroughs. Continue Reading
The achievement gap. It’s a common term in education that refers to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students.
For black teens, it means congratulating them for getting a C in their classes—as if that’s all they’re good enough to do.
Looking back on 2014, seven Minnesota education stories strike me as especially encouraging . This isn’t to suggest everything is perfect. But students, families, school faculty, Gov. Mark Dayton, Minnesota Dept of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius and state legislators deserve credit for some important steps. Continue Reading
Beth* thought Brian* was sweet – a little shy – but trustworthy. She knew from her parents to look for men who respect women. But when he got her alone, near their University of Minnesota campus, he began to push too hard, too fast. He didn’t stop when she asked him to. He didn’t seem to care when she said no. She realized what was about to happen, and her brain shut down.