December 5, 2001 -
December 6, 2001 - Officials in the state's fifth largest school district are taking heat over their latest budget cutting move. Faced with a nine million dollar budget shortfall, the Osseo school board voted this week to shorten the school week next year from five days to four. Critics claim the switch is intended to punish parents for last month's defeat of an excess tax levy referendum. Others are warning that many districts will make similarly dramatic cuts in the coming months. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
December 6, 2001 - A recent report on the performance of Minneapolis public schools showed African Americans students are suspended three times as often as white students. School and community leaders say the rate is unacceptably high and points to cultural barriers in the classroom. They also say suspension is an ineffective punishment because students who often need extra academic help are kept out of school. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
December 6, 2001 - Many parents in the Osseo School district are in shock over the plan to move to a four day school week. Debbie Hanslip is former president of the Elm Creek Elementary Parent Teacher Organization. She says she can't understand the decision.
December 7, 2001 - In recent years housing developers have turned to niche marketing, building specific residences for specific types of people. Increasingly developers are focusing their attention on college students. They say students are willing to pay top dollar for housing that meets their expectations. Minnesota Public Radio's Kaomi Goetz reports.
December 10, 2001 - Joseph Giannetti painted a mural in the Soudan Underground Iron Mine near Tower, Minnesota. It was in collaboration with the University of Minnesota.
December 10, 2001 - School board members in Osseo will meet tomorrow to discuss options for cutting next year's budget. The Board voted last week to look at a four-day school week as a way to save money. They also voted for several other changes, including increasing the distance secondary students must live from school to receive busing. Dr. Chris Richardson is the superintendent of the Osseo Area Schools. He says the reaction from parents so far has been mixed.
December 12, 2001 - Pipestone School District was the benefactor of a few cases and that will help the school district out in many ways.
December 12, 2001 - Minneapolis isn't the only school district facing budget cuts. Many districts around the state are beginning to talk about how to solve budget deficits. The Osseo school board met last night (TUES) to consider options for cutting 9 million dollars out of next year's budget. And the state's third-largest school district, Anoka-Hennepin, has talked about reducing student busing and making extra-curricular activies self-supporting. John Sylvester is the Director of Management Services at the Minnesota School Boards Association. He's on the line now. That's John Sylvester, the Director of Management Services for the Minnesota School Boards Association.
December 13, 2001 - Elk River is the state's second school district to approve a four-day week for its students. The Osseo school board decided last week to institute a shortened week next year. Officials in both districts say the move will allow schools to save on transportation and energy costs. A handful of smaller districts around the country are currently using the four-day week schedule. The tiny Calhan district in central Colorado shortened its week in 1980. District officials estimate the move cut costs by about 2 percent. District Superentendent Bob Selle (Sel-lee) says he was initially skeptical the savings were worth it. But he says four different studies show the four-day week has no affect on achievement: