Education (K-12)

Minnesota Information

Government

• Minnesota Board of Teaching - The board determines the standards and practices that serve the state's teachers and teacher preparation institutions.
• Minnesota Department of Education - Minnesota's state K-12 education policy agency.
  • COVID-19 Updates
  • Data Center - A central portal to the Department's publications and data.
  • Minnesota School Finance History, 1849-
  • Ready, Set, Go - Minnesota offers many options for high school students to earn college credit before graduation. This website provides information about the dual-credit opportunities available to Minnesota's students.
  • School Finance - Reports and data about financing Minnesota's public schools.
• Financing Education in Minnesota - A publication of the Minnesota House of Representative's Fiscal Analysis Department.
• getSTEM of Minnesota - Designed to connect Minnesota educators with science and technology businesses in order to better prepare students for post-secondary education programs and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). A partnership of the Minnesota High Tech Association and the Minnesota Department of Education.
• Minnesota School District Maps - Created by the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office.
• Minnesota School Finance: A Guide for Legislators - One of many K-12 education reports produced by the Minnesota Legislature's House Research Department.
• Minnesota SLEDS (Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System) - "Matching student data from pre-kindergarten through completion of postsecondary education and into the workforce." Managed jointly by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Departments of Education and Employment and Economic Development and governed by the Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership.

Non-government

• Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) - An association of school districts in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area.
• Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) - Connecting the resources of the University of Minnesota with local, state, and national school improvement initiatives.
• Center for School Change - Includes a charter school resource center, resources on Minnesota's dual high school/college credit programs, and a number of publications about school change.
• Education Evolving - A Minnesota initiative working nationally to help public education with the difficult process of change. A project of the Center for Policy Design.
• Education Minnesota - A union of Minnesota educators.
• Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (MAAP) - Dedicated to the improvement of alternative education and program options. Includes lists of Minnesota alternative schools.
• Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) - A professional association of school leaders.
• Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) - Supporting school district personnel who serve in areas of business administration, superintendency, accounting, buildings and grounds, transportation, food service, personnel/payroll/benefits, and purchasing.
• Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association (MESPA) - Supports elementary and middle level principals.
• Minnesota Independent School Forum - A nonprofit organization serving private schools in Minnesota.
• Minnesota P-20 Education Partnership - The partnership works collaboratively to maximize achievements of all students, from preschool through postsecondary education. Its member's include Minnesota education groups along with others from government, business, and the private sector.
• Minnesota PTA - A volunteer organization engaged in educating parents and teachers on issues affecting children.
• Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA) - An advocate for school districts located in non-metropolitan Minnesota.
• Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) -  The resource library includes information on the administration and operation of Minnesota school districts. 
• Minnesota Service Cooperatives - A joint powers organization comprised of nine regional educational service agencies. It provides programs and services through collaborative partnerships.
• Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) - A nonprofit association that provides leadership and support for athletic and fine arts programs in Minnesota's schools.
• Schools for Equity in Education (SEE) - An association of 58 Minnesota school districts supporting legislation that will provide both adequate and equitable funding for Minnesota public schools.

Federal Government Information

• Educational Attainment - Current and historical data on the highest level of education completed in the United States; from the United States Census Bureau.
• Annual Survey of School Finance Systems - State-by-state data from the United States Census Bureau.
• U.S. Department of Education - Information on the department's organization and activities and access to statistics and reports.
  • COVID-19 ("Coronavirus") Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel
  • National Center for Education Statistics - Search for statistics or for specific publications, or go directly to Annual Reports which links to such reports as The Condition of Education and The Digest of Education Statistics.
  • The Nation's Report Card - "Informs the public about the academic achievement of elementary and secondary students in the United States. Report cards communicate the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a measure of achievement in various subjects over time."

Articles, Databases, and Directories

• Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators - An annual report that provides comparable indicators on education systems throughout the world.
• Education News - A compilation of education articles published in various media sources. Includes both United States and international news.
• Education Next - This quarterly journal reports on issues related to K-12 education reform in the United States.
• Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA) - Provides access to the full text of all articles that have appeared in Education Policy Analysis.
• Education Week - Access current and archived issues.
• ElementarySchools.org - A directory of all public and private elementary schools in the United States. Statistics such as enrollment and ratio of students to teachers are included.
• ERIC Database - The Education Resources Information Center product is "an online digital library of education research and information".
• Search for Schools and Colleges - The database is searchable by institution name, city, and zip code. A product of the National Center for Education Statistics.

Organizations

• American Federation of Teachers (AFT) - An affiliated international union of the AFL-CIO.
• Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) - "Brings together education experts from renowned research institutions to contribute new knowledge that informs PK-20 education policy and practice."
• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) - A nonprofit organization composed of public officials who lead the states' K-12 education departments.
• Education Commission of the States (ECS) - An organization created by states for states. It tracks state policy and provides information on a number of education issues, such as school readiness.
• Education Trust - A "national non-profit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement for all students at all levels, particularly for students of color and low-income students".
• National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) - "A nonpartisan research and advocacy group committed to restructuring the teaching profession". The teacher contract database has data and information about selected large districts in each state.
• National Education Association (NEA) - Information on the NEA's policies and state affiliates and links to additional education sources.
• Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) - Provides systematic analysis of education policy and governing arrangements.
• Regional Educational Laboratory Program - Educational research and development organizations supported by the U.S. Education Department.
• School Superintendents Association (AASA) - A professional organization for educational leaders.
• Thomas B. Fordham Institute - "A non-profit think tank dedicated to advancing educational excellence in America's K-12 schools."

Selected Education Issues

Charter Schools

• Charter School Resource Center - Information about Minnesota's charter schools including the Minnesota Charter School Handbook; from the Center for School Change.
• Charter Schools - A short subject publication about Minnesota's charter schools by the Minnesota Legislature's House Research Department.
• Charter Schools - A guide to charter school resources, created by the Minnesota Legislative Library.
• Choice and Charter Schools - From the Center for Education Reform.
• Minnesota Department of Education Charter Schools - Information about charter school authorizers and a list of charter schools.
• MN Association of Charter Schools - Information on Minnesota's charter school policies and charter schools.
• National Charter School Resource Center - Provides "information and technical assistance to support successful planning, authorizing, implementation, and sustainability of high-quality charter schools".

Choice and Vouchers

• Vouchers - From the National Education Association (NEA).
• The Constitutionality of Education Vouchers Under State and Federal Law - A report by the Minnesota Legislature's House Research Department.
• edChoice - Includes policy reports and an interactive map of state choice programs.
• Education - Includes reports on various education topics, including choice and vouchers; from the Heritage Foundation.
• Education Law Center: Vouchers - Includes updates about voucher proposals in Congress and in state legislatures.
• Educational Choices -- Numerous articles on a variety of issues related to choice in education including vouchers and education savings accounts; from the Heartland Institute.
• Educational Vouchers - Provided by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.
• School Choice - Information about Minnesota's school choice options; from the Minnesota Department of Education.
• School Vouchers - A report by the Minnesota Legislature's House Research Department.
• School Vouchers and Student Achievement: Reviewing the Research - From the Journalist's Resource: Research on Today's news topics.
• Types of School Choice - Information from EdChoice.

Civic Education

• 50-State Comparison: Civic Education Policies - A product of the Education Commission of the States and the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York - Includes the report, Guardian of Democracy: the Civic Mission of Schools.
• Center for Civic Education - A variety of information including lesson plans and reports.
• Civic Education: Are Students Learning How to be Good Citizens? - An issue of the publication, CQ Researcher.
• Teaching Civics - The Minnesota-based organization "supports educators with an ever-growing repository of current, professionally vetted, and unbiased civics, law-related education, and government lesson plans and materials." Includes information about the Minnesota civics test.

Education Reform

• Center for Education Reform - Supports reforms that give parents fundamental power over their children's education and that allow teachers and schools to innovate in ways that transform student learning.
• Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) - A research center within Johns Hopkins School of Education. Its goal is to improve education "through high-quality research and evaluation studies and the dissemination of evidence-based research".
• Education Legislation Bill Tracking - National Conference of State Legislatures database. "This searchable database tracks education legislation passed by state legislatures from the 2008 session to present. Issues that are tracked include teachers and principals, school choice, postsecondary education, education finance and funding, religion in schools, high school graduation/dropouts, testing, accountability, afterschool and STEM. Search legislation by state, topic, status, primary sponsor, bill number or keyword."
• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - Newer federal education reform law that was enacted in 2015. Updates the No Child Left Behind act.
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB) - Learn about the federal education reform law. This U.S. Department of Education site also includes approved NCLB approved state accountability plans.
• RAND Corporation: Education Reform - "Evaluates school reform models and conducts case-study analyses of individual schools and school systems to identify areas of improvement and highlight best practices and effective reform efforts."
• Thomas B. Fordham Institute - Information on a variety of education reform topics.

Homeschooling

• Homeschool Central - "All the resources you need" to be a successful homeschool family.
• Homeschool Laws & Legalities - A survey of laws in each of the 50 states.
• Minnesota Department of Education: Home School Education - Includes information about home schools.
• Minnesota Department of Education: Nonpublic and Homeschools - Reporting requirements.
• Minnesota Homeschoolers' Alliance - Information on homeschooling basics including Minnesota law and forms.

Online Learning

• eSchool News - This monthly publication covers education technology in all its aspects including legislation, litigation, case studies, and new products.
• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - Offers "innovative ed tech resources to support professional learning for educators and education leaders." Includes the ISTE Standards.
• Keeping Pace With K-12 Online Learning - "An annual review of state-level policy and practice".
• Minnesota Department of Education: Online Learning - A variety of materials on curriculum and programs.
• Minnesota Learning Commons - "Created to provide access to effective and efficient online learning. The public education partners include Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU), University of Minnesota, and Minnesota Department of Education along with public K-12 schools."
• Aurora Institute - Formerly known as the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). Includes resources on online learning laws and operating online learning programs in the United States.
• Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education - Develops and implements national educational technology policy.
• State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) - "A free web-based resource to support school and district leaders as they work to ensure that investments in digital learning spark positive results."

Special Education

• Annual Disability Statistics Compendium- Special Education - Statistics on Special Education programs in the United States. The statistics are about children served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B.
• National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDE) - Information useful to state agencies, schools, parents, and advocates.
• National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) - "A comprehensive program of special education research designed to expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers and children with disabilities."
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education - "Dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts."
• Minnesota Department of Education Special Education - Information on special education programs in Minnesota. Includes information about Minnesota parental rights statutes.

Standards and Testing

• ACT Datasets - Interactive tools "which are intended to answer questions and provide meaningful insights to help students, parents, educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders make informed decisions and improve education and career outcomes."
• Minnesota Academic Standards - A guide produced by the Minnesota Legislative Library.
• Minnesota Department of Education: Statewide Testing - Includes information about the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) and the Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS).
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - Also known as the Nation's Report Card, the NAEP is a continuing national assessment of American students' performance in selected subject areas.
• National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) - Focuses on designing educational assessments and accountability systems that monitor educational results for all students, including those with disabilities or limited English proficiency.
• SAT Data - The College Board provides SAT test score and test-participation data.

• See Also Children's Issues
• See Also Education (Early Childhood)

The sites listed on this page are not created, maintained, or endorsed by the Minnesota Legislature.