The goal of this article is to provide a framework for practitioners to update their curriculum using an in-depth case study of the Parents Forever program. As new research and best practices change, curriculum authors and program administrators should consider revising both the content and method of delivery of their courses. However, little…

One in six school-age Minnesotans has at least one immigrant parent and one in five Minnesotans under five years old is a child of immigrants. This trend is part of a significant shift in the state's racial and ethnic makeup over the past 25 years. This report looks at Minnesota's redesign of policies and practices to better support the education…

In 2012, five foundations launched the Credit When Its Due (CWID) initiative that was "designed to encourage partnerships of community colleges and universities to significantly expand programs that award associate degrees to transfer students when the student completes the requirements for the associate degree while pursuing a bachelor's…

In 1997, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to pass legislation establishing an education and support program for family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) care providers. This article describes the Minnesota Family, Friend and Neighbor Grant Program and findings from an evaluation of the programs and a curriculum scan of materials used in…

Minnesota Statutes 122A.40, Subdivision 8 and 122A.41, Subdivision 5, require that all districts evaluate teachers beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. In response to the statutes, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) convened a work group in early winter 2011 to consult with the MDE Commissioner to develop a state model for teacher…

Conceived by the Minnesota State Legislature, the Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program is a school improvement and staff development program. Its participants perceive the program as a method for identifying areas of concern and for providing staff with the processes to effect change. As of September 1987, 328 Minnesota schools are in…

The plan documents Minnesota's policies and procedures for implementing state and federal statutes concerning the education of handicapped students. The following topics are covered: right to education, full educational opportunities goal, policy on priorities, child identification, Individual Educational Programs, procedural safeguards, the least…

Minnesota has adopted legislation that provides some guidance in thinking about how a district or state ought to plan for the use of computers and other advanced technology in schools. Characteristics of the Minnesota plan, teacher training, and implementation problems are among the areas discussed. (JN)

To increase understanding of the educational reform movement, the Center for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) embarked on a five-year study of the implementation and effects of state education reforms in six states (Arizona, California, Florida, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania) with diverse reform approaches. This article presents the center's…

In 1991, the Minnesota Legislature enacted the first legislation in the nation to permit creation of legally and financially independent public schools called charter schools. In February 1996, the Minnesota State Board of Education authorized an 18-month evaluation of Minnesota's charter schools. An evaluation team from the University of…

Within the educational reform debate, there is general agreement that the development of high academic standards is an important first step toward improving academic outcomes. This report highlights the standards initiatives being implemented in Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, and South Carolina. All four states have made substantial progress in…

This qualitative study examined the impact of open enrollment policies in Minnesota on eight school districts with larger than average transfers of students with disabilities. A series of case studies investigated implementation issues, effects on special education programs, effects on decision making in funding and planning, perceptions and…