Weigh in with your views on the Learnmore discussion forum
The LearnmoreMN Web site, a resource for anyone wanting to learn about and address the education challenges facing our state, contains a forum where anyone can weigh in on the discussion topics. Read the latest posts by our guest columnists, Kent Pekel of the University of Minnesota and Stacy Becker of the Citizen’s League. In "A post-election proposal: Send the winners to China," Pekel suggests that Minnesota leaders go to China to observe the educational system. "[They] should visit schools and meet with officials, eat strange foods at banquets and generally experience life in countries that are intensely focused on educational success...when those Minnesotans have the opportunity to look together at the enormity of the challenge we face from China and many other nations, the things that unite us will become more tangible."
Stacy Becker of the Citizen’s League in her post, "How are our schools doing," discusses the recent MAP 150 survey that probes citizens' concerns and views about policy and civic involvement. Regarding education, she writes, "few citizens were able to articulate what they would want different except more money…. These are discussions adults like to have, but seldom do we ask students what matters to them—what would help them learn better and stay in school?"
Read the full posts on the LearnmoreMN discussion forum. To share your views, click on "Create new account" and enter your reply — or e-mail your reply to info@learnmoremn.org.
LearnmoreMN is an initiative to help ensure that more Minnesota children succeed in school and pursue higher education. The Minnesota Private College Council has been a catalyst in this effort and has been joined by an informal alliance of citizens representing business, education and others, all of whom are concerned about our state’s future.