President Dooher: Minnesota education challenges require Minnesota solutions
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ST. PAUL, Minn., April 26, 2011 -- The following is a statement from Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher regarding former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s views on education policy changes in Minnesota:
"Minnesota challenges require Minnesota solutions, and we should not be looking for education advice from states that trail Minnesota so badly when it comes to educating their children.
"Minnesota is first in the nation in ACT scores, among states that test more than half their students. Florida ranks 25th.
"Minnesota is third in America in graduation rates (86.4%) while Florida ranks 44th (66.9%).
"Minnesota’s key challenge in education is closing the achievement gap. Success is already happening in places like Brooklyn Center and St. Paul, where schools are using methods based in research and actual practice to close the gap. Education Minnesota has a detailed plan to close the achievement gap.
"Some of the details include the following:
- Focusing resources in schools and communities where students struggle the most.
- Making sure all children and families receive quality early childhood education.
- Smaller class sizes.
- Longer school days or school years
- Medical and wellness programs on campus.
- Active outreach to parents.
"To the extent that Florida is making strides in elementary school reading scores, it is because in 2002, it began implementing some of the very changes proposed and supported by Education Minnesota.
"In 2002, Florida made pre-K education available to any family that wanted it.
"In 2002, Florida passed a class size constitutional amendment, mandating no more than 18 students per classroom in grades K-3, and no more than 22 students per classroom in grades 4-8.
"In 2002, Florida instituted a new statewide reading program called “Just Read, Florida!” That program created new academies to train teachers in reading instruction, devoted $100 million annually to pay for 2,000 additional reading coaches to teach children struggling in reading, and made a strong effort to get parents more involved in reading with their children.
"These are the kinds of investments in education and early learning that research and classroom experience prove will help children learn.
"Former Gov. Bush opposed those reforms, and now claims that improvement in Florida schools can be attributed instead to grading schools, vouchers for private school, and expanding school choice. These claims have been proven false.
"Minnesotans should be proud to have one of the strongest public school systems in the country. Instead of looking to struggling states for advice, our focus should be on making a good thing better, and spreading the excellence found in most of our schools to every classroom in the state."
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota represents 70,000 professionals working together for excellence in education for all students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and educational support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EducationMN.
April 26, 2011