The same amount of learning in one less day. Sponsored by Rep. Dave Baker (R-Willmar), HF1242, as amended, would give local school boards the power to implement, or terminate, a four-day school week without approval by the Department of Education. The annual school calendar would still need to meet the hours of instruction requirements for students.

“I would not be standing here today, or be the young woman I am today, without P.E.A.S.E Academy.” That’s the message Lucy Getschow, a senior at Peers Enjoying A Sober Education Academy in Minneapolis, shared with the House Education Finance Committee Thursday. She recalled her struggles with substance abuse at a young age and how recovery school has helped.

After 14 years of declining enrollment at Minnesota’s postsecondary schools, the National Student Clearinghouse estimates that undergraduate enrollment in Minnesota increased 1.2% in the most recent academic year.

Political leaders told voters schools got a ‘historic’ boost in state aid — but left out the fine print showing nearly half will go to new mandates.

A fix could be coming for a 2023 law whose interpretation led to uncertainty that some said put Minnesota students at risk.

Minnesota legislative negotiators struck an education spending deal Friday that would tie future school funding increases to the rate of inflation, help cover the rising cost of special education services and address districts' concerns about the cost of a new mandate.

“Generational impact.” “Historic investment.” “This is why I ran for office.” Those were the words of DFLers at Saturday’s close of the education finance and policy bill conference committee. Following adoption of the final articles, as amended, of HF2497, the state is on track to appropriate $2.26 billion in new education spending during the 2024-25 biennium, a 10.8% increase over base. Once crafted, a conference committee report will be sent to both chambers for final approval.

More than half of K-12 school principals reported a dearth of teaching staff between 2020 and 2022, and nearly three-quarters attributed their increased vacancies to fewer people applying for jobs rather than more teaching positions being added, according to survey results released Wednesday by RAND Corp.

Minnesota schools saw a rise in four-year public high school graduation rates last year following a drop during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The centerpiece of the omnibus early childhood finance bill, passed by the House 71-57 on Thursday, is a large funding increase for the Early Learning Scholarship Program that helps low-income families with young children access programs that prepare them to attend school.

State aid for K-12 education is primed to dramatically increase in the coming biennium.

The omnibus education finance bill has officially graduated.