Carleen Gulstad, a language arts teacher at Hopkins North Junior High School, was named 2008 Teacher of the Year May 4.

Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher today called for lawmakers this session to provide an inflationary increase to schools and then begin to tackle long-term, fundamental school funding reform.

With 46 school districts facing a combined budget shortfall of at least $113 million for the next school year, Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher urged the Legislature and governor to focus on what should be the state’s top priority during this legislative session: public schools.

Ten educators are finalists in the 2008 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program, out of an initial field of 115 candidates.

A selection panel of 25 community leaders had the difficult task of choosing the semifinalists from an initial field of 114 candidates.

This year’s program will name the 44th Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota.

As the state-imposed deadline to settle teacher contracts without penalty approached, about 94 percent of local unions had settled with their school districts by 4 p.m Tuesday.

Education Minnesota has recommended Al Franken in the 2008 U.S. Senate race. Franken is one of several Democrats vying to challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in November.