A national education reform group has given Minnesota poor marks on its education laws and policies. StudentsFirst ranked Minnesota 26th among all states.

The report card reads:

Currently, Minnesota's education policies do not prioritize great teaching, empowering parents with quality choices, or using resources wisely to raise student achievement. The state is stagnant when it comes to many critical education reforms. Minnesota has moved to improve its educator evaluations, but not all teachers benefit from the new system annually and districts are not required to link student performance, educator performance, and personnel decisions. The state also does not provide parents with meaningful information regarding school and teacher performance. Minnesota prioritizes establishment of quality public charter schools, but the state should strengthen accountability and improve access to facilities. Finally, Minnesota should create authority for the state and city mayors to intervene in low-performing districts and schools, and it should free teachers locked into the state's existing outdated pension systems by offering more attractive, portable retirement options.

Kathy Saltzman, the Minnesota director for StudentsFirst, joins The Daily Circuit Jan. 8, 2013 to talk about what changes the group hopes to see in the state. Saltzman served in the Minnesota Senate from 2007-2010.

Also joining the show is Carlos Mariani, incoming chair of the House Education Policy Committee.

RELATED: From Bob Collins' News Cut blog: Who is Michelle Rhee and why do we care what she thinks about Minnesota schools?

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