Minnesota

Since 2010, the Education Law Center has published national report cards on how states are (or aren't) investing in their schools and students. "Is School Funding Fair? A National Report Card" released Wednesday, paints a worrying picture. In most states, ELC has found that public funding for schools is both unfair and inequitable: that is, not only are schools not receiving the funds they need, the schools that need funding the most are the ones with the most dramatic shortfalls.

Pre-k has always played well in public debate, but a new Gallup polls show just how much people like pre-k and how much they want to see it expanded. According to Gallup, 70% of Americans favor using federal money to fund universal pre-k.

Over the past year, St. Paul, MN, has emerged as a leader in creating powerful labor-community partnerships. A new report from the St. Paul Federation of Teachers details how teachers, parents and students banded together and used the union's 2014 contract negotiations to secure key resources and opportunities for all students.

Teachers in St. Paul, MN, are taking a brave stand on behalf of their students. Backed by parents and community partners, the teachers threatened to strike not over pay but over resources like pre-k programs, school counselors and small class sizes.

Every revolution needs a declaration. Against a backdrop of surging grassroots discontent with how the nation's K-12 public schools are currently governed, a diverse coalition of leaders from across the country have joined in support of "An Education Declaration to Rebuild America."

The BUILD Initiative recently invited teams from eight states across the country to participate in a two-day “mock grant opportunity" focused on developing state-level plans to eliminate disparities in young children's access to health services. Ensuring all students are healthy and ready for school is a key part of closing the opportunity gap in education.

In an inspiring display of cross-sector collaboration, the New York City School-Justice Partnership Task Force has released an action plan for NYC officials to reduce the use of suspensions, summonses, and arrests by building common cause between different agencies and communities and implementing positive discipline strategies.

Proponents of charter schools and charter expansion consistently overlook serious issues with how these schools can selectively shape their student enrollment. A report from the National Education Policy Center describes 12 practices that charter schools use to push out or discourage enrollment of students with special needs, those with low test scores, English learners, or students in poverty.

May 17th is the 59th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Decades later, students, parents, teacher and advocates are still fighting against education policies that leave students of color and low-income students deprived of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. But a grassroots revolution is brewing, what blogger Jeff Bryant has been calling an "education spring," and this past week has seen headline-grabbing victories and inspiring actions.