School districts will be encouraged to help students explore their options for college and career aspirations, starting next school year.
Rep. Carol McFarlane (R-White Bear Lake) and Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) sponsor the law, which offers a plan for schools to use when assisting students in determining their interests and learning styles, with the intention that these tools would provide assistance when students need to make career and college-related choices.
The law will require these plans to emphasize the need for students to develop good academic habits and teamwork skills. Plans will also need to implement programs that would increase students’ and families’ access to information about college and careers.
McFarlane said that this plan will be especially helpful because it would prevent problems students may encounter following graduation from high school. She also claimed that a growing number of jobs in Minnesota require college education, which is a change the law seeks to address.
The law is effective April 24, 2012, the day after it was signed by Gov. Mark Dayton, and affects students graduating in 2014 or later. An additional portion of the law strongly encourages schools to maintain an adequate student-to-counselor ratio starting in the 2015-16 school year.
HF1272/
SF1073*/CH207
Waiting for the governor’s final grade
Omnibus education bill nears finish line
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Published 4/27/2012
Last in, first out … out or in?
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Education advocate is moving on
Rep. Mindy Greiling announces she won’t seek re-election
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Withholding state funds from schools
Education finance law keeps $780 million for other General Fund spending
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First try at K-12 finance bill fails
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Minnesota Index: Teaching and learning
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Published 5/20/2011
Lands set apart
Permanent School Fund management, income potential explored
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Published 5/13/2011
‘Social promotion’ to promote literacy
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Historic St. Paul walkout
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Changes in education
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Published 3/25/2011
A voucher by any other name
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Published 3/18/2011
Fewer days, longer hours
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Published 2/18/2011
First Reading: ‘Pitting the good against the good’
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Published 2/4/2011
The goal: 25,000 new teachers
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Published 1/28/2011
First Reading: Alternative teacher mindset
Tackling the achievement gap one classroom at a time
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Published 1/21/2011