The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system would each get $102 million in new state money the next two years under a bill passed Friday by the House of Representatives. (04/22/2005)

Bills in both the House and Senate would increase the amount of state money that school districts get for each student. While legislators agree on the need to put more money into K-12 education, they disagree on how to pay for it. (04/21/2005)

High school students are under growing pressure to work harder in their classes and avoid the temptation of coasting to a diploma. (03/21/2005)

Warning signs surfaced Friday that a construction projects bill all sides hoped to finish by Easter is stuck in its tracks and a Republican resolution to hold the line on state spending is in trouble. (03/18/2005)

An education committee passed a bill Tuesday to allow the state's schools to ignore the No Child Left Behind law beginning in 2006 unless a series of changes are made to it. (03/15/2005)

A report in Sunday's Star Tribune found that fully 83 percent of students who score poorly on state tests get no extra help under the sweeping 2002 federal education reform law No Child Left Behind. Can No Child Left Behind live up to its name? ( 03/15/2005)

A bill before the Legislature this session would take public schools out of the sports business. For that matter it would take debate, one-act play and band competitions away from the schools and put them, along with athletics, under the control of city park and recreation departments or their equivalents. Critics worry that the bill would decrease participation in extracurricular activities, or, worse, lead kids to drop out of school. ( 03/09/2005)

Some Minnesota school children can't get in-state tuition to Minnesota's colleges and universities. But that might change soon. A bill before the Legislature would give Minnesota students who are not legal residents of the United states the right to pay the same amount as kids who were born here. (03/02/2005)

Nearly 6,000 people gathered outside the state Capitol Monday to show their support of public schools. (03/01/2005)

State lawmakers are under a lot of pressure this year to increase funding for public schools. The pressure is increasing as many parents are tired of budget problems in local schools. (02/28/2005)

In an Op-Ed in Tuesday's Star Tribune, Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, threw down the gauntlet. He challenged Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, to a public debate on the issue of school vouchers. Hann is sponsoring a bill that would allow low-income families to spend state education dollars at private schools, and Kelley has accused him of trying to "blow up public education." ( 02/09/2005)

Two Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that would provide state grants to enable some children to attend private schools. The plan would be open only to students from low-income families. Midmorning examines the renewed debate over school vouchers. ( 02/07/2005)

The school voucher debate could soon heat up in the Minnesota Legislature. Two Republican lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday that would provide state grants to needy families in Minneapolis and St. Paul to send their children to private elementary or secondary schools. (02/04/2005)

A group of state legislators travels to south-central Minnesota on Tuesday to see how a small school district is changing the way its teachers get paid. (02/01/2005)

Legislation introduced this year in the Minnesota House and Senate would help expand all-day kindergarten options throughout the state. (01/27/2005)