Public education in Minnesota

in  Minnesota

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K-12 education in Minnesota

Education facts
State superintendent:
Heather Mueller
Number of students:
845,404
Number of teachers:
53,585
Teacher/pupil ratio:
1:16
Number of school districts:
336
Number of schools:
2,403
Graduation rate:
79.8%
Per-pupil spending:
$11,089
See also
Minnesota Department of Education • List of school districts in Minnesota • Minnesota • School boards portal

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Public education in the United States
Public education in Minnesota
Glossary of education terms
Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

## Contents

* 1 Common Core
* 2 General information
* 2.1 Schools by type
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 Enrollments by region type
* 4 Academic performance
* 4.1 NAEP scores
* 4.2 Graduation, ACT and SAT scores
* 4.3 Dropout rate
* 5 Educational choice options
* 5.1 Developments
* 5.1.1 Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)
* 6 Education funding and expenditures
* 6.1 Revenue breakdowns
* 6.2 Expenditure breakdowns
* 6.3 Personnel salaries
* 7 Organizations
* 7.1 State agencies
* 7.2 Unions
* 8 Taxpayer-funded lobbying
* 9 Transparency
* 10 Studies and reports
* 10.1 Quality Counts 2014
* 10.2 State Budget Solutions education study
* 11 School districts
* 11.1 District types
* 11.2 School board composition
* 11.2.1 Term limits
* 11.3 Elections
* 11.3.1 Path to the ballot
* 11.3.2 Campaign finance
* 12 Recent legislation
* 13 Education ballot measures
* 14 In the news
* 15 See also
* 16 External links
* 17 Footnotes

The Minnesota public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Minnesota had 845,404 students enrolled in a total of 2,403 schools in 553 school districts. There were 53,585 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 16 students, equal to the national average. There was roughly one administrator for every 393 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Minnesota spent $11,089 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 21st highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 79.8 percent in 2013.[1][2][3]

HIGHLIGHTS

* In terms of size and funding, Minnesota's public education system was similar to Wisconsin's in the 2012-2013 school year. Meanwhile, Minnesota's graduation rate was about 80 percent, compared to Wisconsin's rate of 88 percent.

### Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. As of 2015, Minnesota had only adopted the English standards.[4]

## General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Minnesota compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. When compared to its neighboring states, Minnesota had the fewest number of teachers relative to students, with a ratio of about 1:16, and the fewest administrators relative to students, with a ratio of about 1:392.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Regional comparison, 2012-2013

State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher to pupil ratio | Admin. to pupil ratio | Per pupil spending*
Minnesota |  2,403  |  553  |  845,404  |  53,585  |  1:15.8 |  1:392.3 |  $11,089
North Dakota |  517  |  227  |  101,111  |  8,677  |  1:11.7  |  1:224.6  |  $11,980
South Dakota |  697  |  170  |  130,471  |  9,334  |  1:14  |  1:312.6  |  $8,470
Wisconsin |  2,238  |  464  |  872,436  |  57,551  |  1:15.2  |  1:357.7  |  $11,071
United States | 98,454 | 18,093 | 49,771,118 | 3,109,101 | 1:16 | 1:294.1 | $10,700
*Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2013.
Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 2 - Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher, and pupil teacher ratio, by state: School year 2012–13"
United States Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013 (Table 20)"

Note: In comparing dollar amounts across the states, it is important to note that the cost of living can from state to state and within a state. The amounts given on this page have not been adjusted to reflect these differences. For more information on "regional price disparities" and the Consumer Price Index, see the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

### Schools by type[edit]

Education policy on Ballotpedia

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Education policy in the U.S.

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Public education in the U.S.

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Higher education by state

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School choice in the U.S.

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Education statistics

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State information
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Minnesota and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.[5]

In Minnesota, there were 1,626 regular schools as of 2013. Alternative schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 487 schools classified as such.

Number of schools by type, 2012-2013

State  |  Total schools  |  Regular  |  Special education  |  Vocational  |  Alternative  |  Charter  |  Magnet  |  Title I
Minnesota |  2,403  |  1,626 |  279  |  11  |  487 |  176  |  82  |  867
North Dakota |  517  |  472  |  33  |  12  |  0  |  †  |  †  |  275
South Dakota |  697  |  651  |  9  |  3  |  34  |  †  |  †  |  615
Wisconsin |  2,238  |  2,125  |  10  |  5  |  98  |  238  |  4  |  1,519
United States |  98,454 | 89,031 | 2,034 | 1,403 | 5,986 | 6,079 | 3,151 | 68,140
† Not applicable. Some states/jurisdictions do not have charter school authorization and some states/jurisdictions do not designate magnet schools.
‡ Reporting standards were not met due to data that were missing for more than 20 percent of schools in the state or jurisdiction.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a

## Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Minnesota as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.[6]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Minnesota, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 608,843, which was about 72 percent of the student population in the state. There were 79,328 black students in Minnesota, accounting for approximately 9.4 percent of the population

Public education enrollment by race/ethnicity, 2012-2013

State  |  Pop. category  |  Am. Indian
/Alaska Nat.  |  Asian  |  Black  |  Hawaiian
/Pac. Islander  |  Hispanic  |  White  |  Two or more races
Minnesota |  Number  |  14,814  |  53,201  |  79,328  |  701  |  64,712  |  608,843 |  23,805
Percentage  |  1.75%  |  6.29%  |  9.38%  |  0.08%  |  7.65%  |  72.02% |  2.82%
North Dakota |  Number  |  9,086  |  1,280  |  2,895  |  237  |  3,363  |  83,037  |  1,213
Percentage  |  8.99%  |  1.27%  |  2.86%  |  0.23%  |  3.33%  |  82.12%  |  1.2%
South Dakota |  Number  |  14,977  |  2,211  |  3,584  |  138  |  5,571  |  101,242  |  2,748
Percentage  |  11.48%  |  1.69%  |  2.75%  |  0.11%  |  4.27%  |  77.6%  |  2.11%
Wisconsin |  Number  |  11,040  |  31,034  |  85,158  |  683  |  88,132  |  637,518  |  18,871
Percentage  |  1.27%  |  3.56%  |  9.76%  |  0.08%  |  10.1%  |  73.07%  |  2.16%
United States |  Number  | 533,098 | 2,363,484 | 7,798,560 | 179,935 | 12,064,310 | 25,366,857 | 1,390,514
Percentage**  | 1.07% | 4.76% | 15.69% | 0.36% | 24.28% | 51.04% | 2.80%
**Note: This is the percentage of all students in the United States that are reported to be of this ethnicity.
Source: United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2012-2013"

### Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.[7]

A plurality of students in Minnesota attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 57.1 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 42.8 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Student distribution by region type, 2012-2013 (as percents)

State  |  City schools  |  Suburban schools  |  Town schools  |  Rural schools
Minnesota |  21.1%  |  36%  |  21%  |  21.8%
North Dakota |  28.9%  |  11.1%  |  21.2%  |  38.7%
South Dakota |  27.2%  |  1.7%  |  29.7%  |  41.4%
Wisconsin |  29.3%  |  27.9%  |  19.6%  |  23.2%
U.S. averages |  30% | 39.8% | 11.5% | 18.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a"

## Academic performance[edit]

Education terms

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For more information on education policy terms, see this article.

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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

### NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin), Minnesota's fourth and eighth graders earned the highest scores across the board.[8]

Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013

| Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8
Minnesota | 59% | 47% | 41% | 41%
North Dakota | 48% | 41% | 34% | 34%
South Dakota | 40% | 38% | 32% | 36%
Wisconsin | 47% | 40% | 35% | 36%
United States |  41% | 34% | 34% | 34%
Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables"

### Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Minnesota and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[8][9][10]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[11]

Minnesota schools reported a graduation rate of 79.8 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, lowest among its neighboring states.

In Minnesota, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 23.

Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013

State  |  Graduation rate, 2013  |  Average ACT composite, 2013  |  Average SAT composite, 2013
Percent  |  Quintile ranking**  |  Score  |  Participation rate  |  Score  |  Participation rate
Minnesota |  79.8% |  Fourth  |  23 |  74%  |  1780  |  6%
North Dakota |  87.5%  |  First  |  20.5  |  98%  |  1799  |  2%
South Dakota |  82.7%  |  Third  |  21.9  |  78%  |  1760  |  3%
Wisconsin |  88%  |  First  |  22.1  |  71%  |  1771  |  4%
United States |  81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50%
**Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally.
Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express"
ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores"
The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013"

### Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Minnesota was lower than the national average at 1.8 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 1.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[12]

## Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Minnesota

As of June 2015, school choice options in Minnesota included charter schools, school choice tax credits, an inter-district open enrollment policy and online learning programs. In addition, about 9.57 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 1.80 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

### Developments[edit]

#### Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

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Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term

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Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions

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School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[13]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[14]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution--where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion--and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Minnesota is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

## Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Minnesota state budget and finances

Breakdown of spending by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[15][16]

Minnesota spent approximately 29.2 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state's school systems' revenue came primarily from state funds. Minnesota spent a greater percentage of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.

Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013

State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources
Percent federal funds |  Percent state funds |  Percent local funds
Minnesota |  29.2% |  $11,089  |  6.1%  |  63.5% |  30.5%
North Dakota |  15%  |  $11,980  |  10.7%  |  50.3%  |  38.9%
South Dakota |  14.1%  |  $8,470  |  14.8%  |  31%  |  54.1%
Wisconsin |  16.2%  |  $11,071  |  7.7%  |  44.8%  |  47.5%
United States |  19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3%
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8).
U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8).

### Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[16]

In Minnesota, the primary source of school system revenue was state funding, at $6.8 billion. Minnesota and Wisconsin reported nearly the same dollar amount of total revenue during fiscal year 2013. However, Minnesota received approximately $2 billion more from state sources than Wisconsin.

Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands)

State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue
Minnesota |  $648,189  |  $6,792,258 |  $3,264,242  |  $10,704,689
North Dakota |  $145,905  |  $685,348  |  $530,337  |  $1,361,590
South Dakota |  $194,731  |  $408,009  |  $711,591  |  $1,314,331
Wisconsin |  $827,432  |  $4,839,617  |  $5,134,855  |  $10,801,904
United States |  $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1)

### Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[17]

Public education expenditures in Minnesota totaled approximately $10.9 billion in fiscal year 2012. Minnesota reported greater total expenditures than any of its neighboring states. However, Wisconsin reported more general expenditures than Minnesota.

Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands)

State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures
Minnesota |  $9,053,021  |  $1,069,044  |  $815,947  |  $10,938,012
North Dakota |  $1,098,090  |  $160,058  |  $22,521  |  $1,280,669
South Dakota |  $1,100,100  |  $172,739  |  $30,036  |  $1,302,875
Wisconsin |  $9,704,932  |  $450,303  |  $453,800  |  $10,609,035
United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5)

### Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

Note: Salaries given are averages for the state. Salaries may vary between a state's urban, suburban, and rural districts and should be adjusted for cost of living. For example, a MacIver Institute study of average teacher salaries in 60 metropolitan areas found that salaries in New York City were the third-highest in absolute figures but 59th-highest when adjusted for the cost of living.[18]

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Minnesota, the average salary increased by 3.4 percent.[19]

Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**)

| 1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference
Minnesota | $54,393  | $55,967  | $55,874  | $56,268  |  3.4%
North Dakota | $40,810  | $45,862  | $46,825  | $47,344  | 16%
South Dakota | $39,728  | $41,456  | $39,450  | $39,580  | -0.4%
Wisconsin | $56,239  | $54,721  | $54,687  | $55,171  | -1.9%
United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3%
**"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state."

## Organizations[edit]

### State agencies[edit]

The vision statement of the Minnesota Department of Education reads:[20]

“  | The Minnesota Department of Education provides an excellent education for Minnesota students by implementing Governor Mark Dayton’s 7-Point Plan for Better Schools for a Better Minnesota. We strive for excellence, equity and opportunity by focusing on closing the achievement gap, supporting high-quality teaching, using innovative strategies to improve educational outcomes, and ensuring all students graduate from high school well-prepared for college, career and life.[21] |  ”

|
|

The Commissioner of Education serves as the head of the Department of Education. The Commissioner of Education is appointed by the Governor. The term of office expires either when the Governor's term expires or the Governor leaves office. Brenda Cassellius was appointed as the Minnesota Commissioner of Education in 2010.[22][23]

### Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Minnesota ranked 14th overall for union power and influence, or "strong," which was in the second of five tiers.[24]

The main union related to the Minnesota school system is Education Minnesota, an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). For the 2003 tax period the union had: $24.6 million in total revenue, $24.1 million in total expenses and $26.5 million in total assets.[25]

List of local Minnesota school unions:[26]

* Education Minnesota
* AFT Minneapolis Local 59
* St. Paul Federation of Teachers
* Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers
* Duluth Federation Of Teachers
* Education Minnesota Lakeville
* Mounds View Education Association

## Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Minnesota government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Minnesota School Boards Association.

## Transparency[edit]

Minnesota launched a spending transparency database in March 2009.[27][28] The website, created by Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), "offers on-line, round-the-clock access to data on state payments for schools, local governments, contractors and other vendors. With just a few clicks, citizens can access detailed information on most state spending." According to state officials, the data is supplied by the state's accounting system and updated nightly.[27]

## Studies and reports[edit]

### Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Minnesota received a score of 87.3, or a B+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Aside from the "chance for success" category, the state's highest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 76.7, or a C+ average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 67.5, or a D+ average. Minnesota had the fifth highest score in the "chance for success" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of Minnesota and its surrounding states.[29]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

Public education report cards, 2014

State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment
Minnesota | 87.3 (B+) | 76.7 (C+) | 71.2 (C-) | 67.5 (D+) | 74.6 (C) | 71.4 (C-)
North Dakota | 86.9 (B+) | 68.2 (D+) | 85.4 (B) | 66.6 (D+) | 76.8 (C+) | 78.6 (C+)
South Dakota | 79.6 (B-) | 63.2 (D) | 73.0 (C) | 60.8 (D-) | 68.2 (D+) | 64.3 (D)
Wisconsin | 82.4 (B-) | 72.1 (C-) | 75.2 (C) | 79.1 (C+) | 85.6 (B) | 85.7 (B)
United States | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-)
Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014"

A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here.

### State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

## School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

### District types[edit]

Minnesota contains several types of school districts. Almost all are traditional independent districts limited to a single community, although the state also contains several specialized districts, such as intermediate, integration, education, telecommunication and cooperative districts.[30]

### School board composition[edit]

Minnesota school board members are elected by residents of the school district. Minnesota school board elections typically follow one of these two methods, or a mixture thereof:

* At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
* District: Only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.

School boards consist of six, seven or nine members. School board members serve four-year terms.[31]

#### Term limits[edit]

Minnesota does not impose statewide term limits on school board members.[32]

### Elections[edit]

See also: Minnesota school board elections, 2021

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

2021 Minnesota School Board Elections

District  | Primary | General Election | General Runoff Election | Regular term length | Seats up for election | Total board seats | 2016-17 enrollment
Anoka-Hennepin School District | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 3 | 6 | 38,820
Saint Paul Public Schools | N/A | 11/2/2021 | N/A | 4 | 4 | 7 | 37,179

#### Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Minnesota, a person must be:[33]

* 21 years of age or older
* An eligible voter in the state
* A district resident for at least 30 days prior to the election

A person must not be:

* A convicted felon or sex offender whose civil rights have not been restored
* An employee of the school district who earns more than $8,000 per fiscal year
* Serving in another public office, except for township board

The process of running for office as a school board candidate begins with filing an affidavit of candidacy with the school district clerk, along with a $2.00 filing fee. Candidates must file in July if their district is holding a primary election, otherwise the filing deadline is in August. According to the Minnesota School Boards Association:

“  | A primary must be held if a school district has approved a resolution to be part of the primary election system AND if more than two candidates file for a precinct seat, or if more than double the number of candidates file than at-large seats exist.[21] |  ”

|
|

—Minnesota School Boards Association website brochure (2014)[31]

School board elections are held in November in odd or even years, depending on the district.[31]

#### Campaign finance[edit]

Minnesota requires school board candidates who receive or spend more than $750 to file a campaign finance report. All candidates, regardless of how much money they raise or spent, must file a final campaign finance report within seven days after the election.[31]

## Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Minnesota state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

## Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Minnesota ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Minnesota County Superintendent Qualifications, Amendment 4 (1908)
2. Minnesota Definition of Academic Facilities, Amendment 1 (1934)
3. Minnesota Divert Mining Tax, Amendment 3 (1956)
4. Minnesota Investing School Funds, Amendment 3 (1875)
5. Minnesota Investment of School Funds, Amendment 1 (1942)
6. Minnesota Investment of School Funds, Amendment 2 (1916)
7. Minnesota Investment of School Funds, Amendment 3 (1912)
8. Minnesota Investment of School Funds, Amendment 5 (1914)
9. Minnesota Prohibit Use of Funds for Sectarian Schools, Amendment 7 (1877)
10. Minnesota Qualifications for County Superintendents, Amendment 5 (1912)
11. Minnesota School Fund Investment Restrictions, Amendment 2 (1984)
12. Minnesota School Funds Loans, Amendment 1 (1886)
13. Minnesota School Investment Requirements, Amendment 1 (1952)

## In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Minnesota education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Public education in Minnesota - Google News

## See also[edit]

* Historical public education information in Minnesota
* Minnesota state budget and finances
* Minnesota Department of Education
* List of school districts in Minnesota
* School choice in Minnesota
* Charter schools in Minnesota
* Minnesota
* Education Policy in the U.S.

## External links[edit]

* Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)
* MDE on YouTube
* MDE on Facebook
* MDE on Twitter
* Minnesota Board of Teaching

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD); Table 2.—Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher and pupil/teacher ratio by state: School year 2012-13," accessed May 29, 2015
2. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State expenditure report, Fiscal years 2012-2014," accessed July 14, 2015
3. ↑ United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express," accessed May 29, 2015
4. ↑ Common Core State Standards Initiative, "Core Standards in your State," accessed June 12, 2014
5. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Title I - Improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged," accessed May 29, 2015
6. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2011-2012," accessed May 7, 2014
7. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a," accessed March 2, 2016
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables," accessed May 13, 2014
9. ↑ ACT, "2012 ACT National and State Scores," accessed May 13, 2014
10. ↑ Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT Scores by State 2013," October 10, 2013
11. ↑ StudyPoints, "What's a good SAT score or ACT score?" accessed June 7, 2015
12. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File, School Year 2010-11, Provision Version 1a and School Year 2011-12, Preliminary Version 1a," accessed May 13, 2014
13. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: "Petition for a writ of certiorari," accessed July 3, 2019
14. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, decided June 30, 2020
15. ↑ NASBO, "State Expenditure Report," accessed July 2, 2015
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports," accessed July 2, 2015
17. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)," accessed July 2, 2015
18. ↑ Maciver Institute, "REPORT: How much are teachers really paid?" accessed October 29, 2014
19. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 211.60. Estimated average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, 1969-70 through 2012-13," accessed May 13, 2014
20. ↑ Minnesota Department of Education, "Office of the Commissioner," accessed May 21, 2014
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
22. ↑ Minnesota Department of Education, "Executive Team," accessed May 21, 2014
23. ↑ 2013 Minnesota Statutes, "Chapter 15, Section 06," accessed May 21, 2014
24. ↑ Thomas E Fordham Institute, " How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison," October 29, 2012
25. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Education Minnesota," accessed October 27, 2009
26. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Minnesota teachers unions," accessed October 27, 2009
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Office of the Governor, "Governor Pawlenty Unveils New State Website to Allow Citizens to Track Government Spending Online," March 26, 2009
28. ↑ Minnpost.com, "Many states, including Minnesota, lag in putting their spending on the Internet," February 27, 2009
29. ↑ Education Week "Quality Counts 2014," accessed February 19, 2015
30. ↑ Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "School Districts in Minnesota," accessed July 9, 2014
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Minnesota School Boards Association, "Running for School Board," accessed July 9, 2014
32. ↑ National School Boards Association, "Survey of the State School Boards Associations on Term Limits for Local Board Members," accessed July 8, 2014
33. ↑ Minnesota School Boards Association, "Legal Requirements for School Board Members," accessed July 9, 2014

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