Minnesota’s $9.25 billion surplus gives the Legislature an unprecedented opportunity to settle up with public schools that have been shortchanged for years and give students and educators the resources they need. The House DFL’s education budget this year would be real movement toward fully funding our schools. Senate Republicans offer no help to public schools at a time students and educators need more support, forcing districts to make harmful budget cuts and lay off staff. Here’s an overview of the two proposals for fiscal year 2023. https://educationminnesota.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04

It’s not uncommon for teachers to clock in extra hours each day to ensure they meet students’ academic and social-emotional needs. But everything from answering emails to grading papers adds up: A typical teacher works about 54 hours a week—with just under half of that time devoted to directly teaching students, a new survey finds. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/heres-how-many-hours-a-week-teachers-work/2022/04

“I have no words to describe what it is like to be a teacher right now.”

That is what I tweeted at the end of a day earlier this month, sitting on the couch while COVID-19 cases surged everywhere. As a writer and a teacher, I had no words to describe what was happening. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-stress-hypervigilance-and-decision-fatigue-teaching-during-omicron/2022/01

A Garlough teacher is included among the candidates for the annual Minnesota Teacher of the Year award. The teacher, Anne Bolsem, teaches kindergarten at Garlough Environmental Magnet School in West St. Paul. https://weststpaulreader.com/2022/02/02/teacher-of-the-year-candidate/

Pre-existing educator shortages, made worse by the pandemic, have turned each school system into a precarious house of cards.

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/omicron-exacerbating-school-staff-shortages

Teacher morale and mental health are suffering as school board meetings intensify and the pandemic rages on. A high school teacher explains why it's crucial that we find ways to support our educators. https://www.parents.com/news/americas-teachers-are-facing-a-mental-health-crisis-too/