Educator: More partnerships to build learning opportunities

The Minnesota Department of Education wants more businesses across the state to adopt schools.

There are already several partnerships between businesses and schools around the state, but Brenda Cassellius, state education commissioner, wants to see more.

Businesses can help schools by offering internships for students, buying computers or offering volunteer tutors, she said.

"Human capital, as well as financial resources or sometimes providing computers or other things for schools that really enhance the ways we teach students and provide learning opportunities," Cassellius said.

"It's really important to our school improvement efforts and very important for our students to have these types of opportunities."

The Education Department has launched a new website that helps schools and businesses set up partnerships.